Dozens of Residents Displaced After Large Apartment Fire in Buena Park

A large fire at an apartment building in Buena Park forced dozens of residents to quickly evacuate Wednesday morning.

According to authorities, the call came just after 1 a.m. about a fire at an apartment building on the 7700 block of 10th Street. When firefighters arrived there were downed wires that hampered fire fighting.

A second-alarm was requested as over 40 firefighters were on the scene battling the flames. Firefighters from the city of Anaheim and Fullerton were also called to the scene for assistance. It took around 50 minutes for the fire to be knocked down.

The fire spread from one building to another causing severe damage to multiple units. Authorities report that between 15 to 20 residents have been displaced. Some residents lost everything in the fire.

"It was a big ball of fire, the whole building was in flames. All the windows were broken," said Jona Hernandez, an evacuee. "Obviously all the electricity was popping everywhere, even the wire right above us kind of came down."

Residents were only given a few seconds to grab some belongings, including pets before having to evacuate. The American Red Cross is working to help those who have been displaced.

"We had like less than a minute to get out, because the flames were right at the window and you can hear the crackling," said Ruth Gutierrez, an evacuee.

The cause of the fire remains unknown as authorities continue investigating the scene. No injuries were reported.

Damage is estimated at $2 million to the structure and $250,000 to contents. 11 people have been displaced. Firefighters are working with the Red Cross to provide assistance. pic.twitter.com/Si0RcLrGtF

— OCFA PIO (@OCFireAuthority) April 5, 2023