Fire at Casanova Avenue apartment in Monterey sends multiple residents to hospital, cause unknown.

An early morning three-alarm fire on Monday, March 9, at an apartment complex in Monterey sent eight residents to the hospital and elicited a multi-agency response. 

The cause of the fire on the 800 block of Casanova Avenue is still unknown but it started on the third floor of the Casanova Plaza Apartments around 3:50am. 

“Initial crews got on the scene and found smoke and fire on the third floor and Monterey PD was here initially helping to evacuate people,” Monterey Fire Chief Patrick Moore says. “Our crews made entry and there were people on the balconies and we started making rescues for people who were in distress.” 

Moore explained that the common, center hallway on the third floor was filled with smoke, which pushed residents to their balconies and made for a challenging rescue. 

“Overall, our crews did a fantastic job as there were no fatalities and we held (the fire) to one section of the building,” Moore says. “This building is very challenging from a fire perspective.”

Six of the residents were taken to the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula and are in stable condition, while two residents were transported to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center’s Burn Unit in San Jose for care. No firefighters or other personnel were injured. 

The fire was extinguished around 5:40am. Moore mentioned that extinguishing the fire and rescuing the building’s residents was a multi-agency effort and expressed his appreciation for all of the agencies involved. 

“We had a great collaboration,” Moore says. “It was a great team effort on a very challenging fire. I am very appreciative of how the crews responded.”

Agencies that responded to the call include fire departments from Monterey, Seaside, Monterey County Regional Fire District, Marina, Presidio of Monterey, Salinas, North County, Hollister and Cal Fire. In total, 13 engines, two trucks, breathing support and six chief officers responded, in addition to one Carmel fire ambulance, a Monterey County Regional Ambulance, five AMR ambulances and an AMR supervisor.

Police from Monterey, Pacific Grove, Marina and the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office were engaged in the response alongside CERT, PG&E and the American Red Cross. 

The approximately 90 residents of the building have been evacuated and relocated to The Hyatt Regency Hotel in Monterey. Moore says that about six units were destroyed.

Monterey County Housing Authority staff were on-site assessing the apartment building Monday morning to determine which units could still be occupied, with the smell of smoke lingering in the air as a portion of the structure’s third floor was open to the elements, the roof completely burned away. 

“We are grateful for the swift response from fire, law enforcement and emergency personnel who helped protect residents and bring this fire under control,” said Zulieka Boykin, executive director of the Housing Authority of the County of Monterey, in a statement. “Our immediate focus is supporting residents who have been displaced and working with our partners to ensure they have safe accommodations and the resources they need during this difficult time.”