Roger
(Photos: SBFD)
Update by Santa Barbara City Fire Department
Santa Barbara City Police Combined Communication Center received a report of a structure fire in the 500 Block of East Sola St. at approximately 16:36 hours. Santa Barbara City Fire Department responded with three engine companies, one truck company and a Battalion Chief. The first engine on scene Engine 73 is stationed one block away and was in quarters at the time of the call. Engine 73 arrived in less than 3 minutes after dispatch. The on scene report confirmed smoke showing and a working fire was declared. The working fire brings additional firefighters to the incident.
Firefighters began an aggressive attack on the fire and found an unresponsive male victim approximately 40 years old still inside the structure. The victim suffered smoke inhalation and was conscious prior to being transported to Cottage Hospital. The fire was located in a small basement storage area that contained a large amount of storage. The tight space and volume of storage was a challenge for the firefighters.
Fire Investigators are on scene and the cause of the fire is under investigation. There were no other injuries noted to civilian or firefighters. The damage and loss estimate has not been determined.
Santa Barbara City Police assisted with traffic control and Santa Barbara County Fire and Montecito Fire Protection District provided station coverage for the units working at the fire.
The Santa Barbara City Fire Department would like to remind everyone that working smoke detectors save lives.
Update by edhat staff
Santa Barbara City firefighters are actively working to extinguish a basement fire inside a residence in the 500 block of E. Sola Street.
Fire crews are having difficulty accessing the fire, reports Fire Chief Eric Nickel.
There is one person who sustained smoke inhalation injuries. They are being transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
Structure fire in the 500 Block of East Sola. SB City Fire Department responding.
SB is very lucky to have Eric Nickel as its Fire Chief. I heard him speak at several public gatherings and was really impressed. He is intelligent and articulate.
Horrible, absolultely horrible smell of burning plastic on Upper Eastside. About an hour ago. Is it from this fire? We all got headaches and had to rush to close up the house.
Lucky that the fire station is so close by, just 1 block away! Glad it was just some smoke inhalation and no burn injuries too. Can still be dangerous, should NEVER stay and allow yourself to be exposed to smoke like that for long.
True story: the son of the woman who owns the house was in the basement working on an “art project.” Welding, soldering, something. She walked out to the sidewalk as my friend walked up Sola, coming to his birthday party down the block. She asked him “Do you smell smoke?” And he answered yes, and it is coming out of your basement!” At which point they both looked and saw the smoke. The woman went upstairs and got two fire extinguishers and they went into the basement whereupon my friend tried to use the fire extinguishers to put out the fire. Both were so old they had barely anything in them. The son stayed down there even though my friend says he told him “You’d better get out of here!” and thus the son sustained smoke inhalation injuries. As I drove up to the party I saw the ambulance taking him away, and then later at the party the Birthday Boy was able to tell us all about his big adventure trying to save the Day.
Basement ? I didn’t know we had any basements here in earthquake country ? !