Fire damages carport, vehicles at southeast Fresno apartment complex

A fire in a carport at a southeast Fresno apartment complex Tuesday night prompted a three-alarm response from Fresno fire crews when the blaze burned power lines and threatened a two-story apartment.

Battalion Chief Ron Stogdell said the fire was initially reported at 10:30 p.m. as a vehicle fire at 535 5th Street near the corner of Belmont Avenue and 5th Street. But additional reports said the fire was spreading in the carport, and downed power lines touched off a fireworks display of electrical sparks that made access difficult for fire crews, he said.

The apartment complex was evacuated but no one was hurt. There was no report of injuries, but four to five vehicles were lost, he said.

This story was originally published October 27, 2015 at 11:27 PM with the headline "Fire damages carport, vehicles at southeast Fresno apartment complex."