The fire was reported shortly after 7:10 p.m. at the building on 14th Street near Commercial Street in a fourth-floor apartment, a San Diego Fire-Rescue spokesperson said. Because of the size of the building, the fire went to a third alarm, which summoned more resources to help.
When firefighters arrived, they helped evacuate the building but they didn’t have to put out the fire. That was taken care of by the building’s sprinkler system. The sprinklers also caused extensive water damage to 14 units on the third floor and two common areas, fire officials said.
It was estimated the fire and sprinkler system caused $150,000 in damage.
Fifteen people were displaced and assisted by property management. It was determined that Red Cross assistance wasn’t needed.
One person was evaluated for smoke inhalation but did not require medical treatment.
The fire was determined to be accidental. The battery was for an e-bike and was on a charger connected to an electrical outlet when it sparked the fire.
A HAZMAT team responded to handle the battery mitigation and air monitoring, the department said.
