By Calvin Men
The Santa Cruz Sentinel
LIVE OAK, Calif. — Firefighters rescued an elderly couple from the second-floor apartment after a blaze destroyed a Live Oak home on the 1300 block of 30th Avenue on Saturday morning, Central Fire officials said.
A fire was reported at 1360 30th Ave. about 4:15 a.m., Battalion Chief John Walbridge said.
When firefighters arrived on scene, they issued a second alarm, prompting the dispatch of four more fire units.
Five residents in the apartment where the fire started were able to escape. Residents in an apartment adjacent to the blazing home were unable to leave because the fire blocked their front door, Walbridge said. Firefighters used a ladder and rescued the couple through a window of their apartment.
One firefighter suffered a lower back injury after assisting with the rescue.
Responding agencies included Santa Cruz Fire, Scotts Valley Fire, Cal Fire and Aptos-La Selva Fire.
Firefighters contained the blaze within 23 minutes and completely doused it in 45 minutes, Walbridge said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The contents of the apartment where the fire started were destroyed. The second apartment had smoke damage to the bedroom and living room and fire damage to the kitchen.
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(c)2014 the Santa Cruz Sentinel (Scotts Valley, Calif.)
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