• printer friendly
• mail this article
• iPod format
• digg

Photo

The clean-up started immediately after Wednesday evening’s fire in the University Apartment

At least five fire trucks arrived at 475 Gayley on Wednesday evening in response to a fire alarm at the University Apartments, according to witnesses at the scene of the fire.

There were no injuries, but fire and water damage left charred walls and flooded floors.

Some witnesses said they believed the flames were a result of a malfunctioning oven that caught fire in a first-floor apartment around 6 p.m., a cause that authorities have not confirmed.

Jennifer Wardley, a third-year psychology student, said the fire began when she was cooking burritos in the oven of her first floor apartment.

In response to smelling gas, Wardley turned off the oven and turned on the kitchen fan.

Moments later, the presence of black smoke led her to report the malfunction and pull the fire alarm.

The fire department was called at 6:13 p.m., and at 6:23 p.m. the fire fighting crew was dispatched, according to Jim Wells of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

By the time Wardley reported the problem, a fire had started. Mark Brook, a neighboring tenant and third-year student, said he smelled smoke and discovered the flames.

Brook recalled that because there was no hammer near the fire extinguisher’s glass casing – a guest resident used his elbow to break through the glass.

“We grabbed a fire extinguisher, but that didn’t help much,” Brook said.

Shortly after the alarm sounded, all residents had evacuated and were waiting outside for the fire department to douse the flames and clear the smoke.

Apartment Coordinator Natasha Fewkes explained that the evacuation was orderly and went according to plan.

But Geoff Parker, a third-floor resident, said many tenants mistook the alarm for a drill.

“When we all finally got outside, it was about 10 minutes before the fire department got here,” he said.

Once evacuated, witnesses said it took about three hours before residents were allowed to return to their rooms.

Jessica Burgo, another tenant, said there was some traffic on Gayley Avenue while the fire department closed off a portion of the street.

Nancy Greenstein, director of community services for university police, said the UCPD helped control the traffic.

Wardley said the timing of the fire was inconvenient, since it was the night before school started.

She and her two roommates stayed in the UCLA Guest House Wednesday night, and are staying at a nearby hotel until Sept. 29, when their apartment will be ready for living.

As of Thursday afternoon, the apartment’s oven had been removed, along with carpeting saturated by sprinkler water.

“I was scared last night, but I feel fine now,” Wardley said. “I’m just glad that no one got hurt.”