A structure fire broke out in Family Student Housing around 8:30 p.m. last night. No major injuries were reported, though one resident was evaluated for smoke inhalation by firefighters on the scene. Only one apartment was directly affected by the fire.
“[The] Dispatch Center advised that it was a possible battery explosion and so [dispatch] upgraded it to an unconfirmed structure response, which brings two additional fire engines and a ladder truck and the battalion chief,” said Battalion Chief Todd Meyer of the Santa Cruz Fire Department. “The crews were quickly able to get the fire knocked down and keep the fire contained to the area and room of origin, but there is extensive heat and smoke damage in the unit along with the adjoining units because the smoke was able to penetrate through the walls. We do have water damage on the fire floor as well.”
Four engines were dispatched to the 800 loop of Koshland Way, and the fire was put out within the hour.
Juan Ruiz, who lives in the affected unit with his family and studies Latin American Latino Studies as a graduate student, described the fire as having started spontaneously from an e-bike battery charging in his office.
“We charged up our battery a couple of days,” Ruiz said. “It was disconnected [from the bike] on the ground, and we brought it in when the rain started, like a few days ago, and we just thought of leaving it charged, and it was very spontaneous, … it just lit on fire out of nowhere.”
Ruiz has been told by the SCFD that the unit is non-recoverable, and, due to smoke and water damage, there is nothing to salvage from the residence.
Baby photos, diplomas, laptops, and much more were lost in the fire. The Ruiz’s dog, Luna also ran into the woods following the family’s evacuation and has yet to be found at the time of this reporting. Ruiz has created a GoFundMe to assist with the family’s recovery.
Link to GoFundMe:
He also stated that the university had paid for their stay in a hotel the night of the fire and will continue to until Wednesday while more permanent accommodations are hopefully found.
“We are very fortunate to be together, but we just don’t know what happens moving from here,” Ruiz said. “This is new. I mean, I don’t know how folks go through this — there’s no words to it.”
At the time of publication, City on a Hill Press has not received a response from the University when asked to comment on the situation.
