Nearly 20 people were displaced when a large fire engulfed an apartment complex in San Bernardino early Sunday morning.
It was reported just after 7:30 a.m. as a vehicle fire in the 900 block of N. Mountain View Avenue, according to a [news release](https://x.com/SBCOUNTYFIRE/status/2030734342314463390) from the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
"While enroute, Comm Center advised that multiple vehicles were burning and threatening a structure," the release said. "Firefighters arrived to find a carport attached to a two-story apartment complex with the carport, several vehicles and an upstairs unit well involved."
The large plume of smoke billowing from the fire early Sunday morning outside of the N. Mountain View Avenue apartment building. Darwin Arambula
Firefighters said that flames had already extended to an adjacent apartment complex and that "radiant heat" had broken windows of several apartments. Crews rushed to alert residents that they were being evacuated.
"I just told my son, 'Let's get the dog out and let's get out of here,'" said Lupe Duran.
One resident said that the sound of the fire was "like a bomb" due to popping tires and blown-out windows.
It took 50 minutes for crews to gain the upper hand on the blaze.
No injuries were reported, but five vehicles and one apartment unit were destroyed. Four other units suffered varying degrees of damage, firefighters said. Eighteen residents were also displaced by the blaze and were being helped by the American Red Cross.
"It was just really a frightening moment," said Joshua Jamison, who was displaced by the fire. "Life happens, it sucks. Just another step forward. Luckily, nobody was hurt. That's all we can really ask for."
Firefighters are still working to determine what caused the fire.
"The potential to lose two apartment complexes here was very real, especially with the breeze from the Santa Anas still present," said SBCoFD Capt. Eric Sherwin. "
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