11 People Lose Home To Fire

A Fifth Street house caught fire early Monday, displacing 11 people who lived in the building, the Santa Cruz Sentinel reported.

The home, at 406 E. Fifth St. between Lincoln and Madison streets, was divided into apartments. A man living in Apartment D called 911 just after 2 a.m. and said there was smoke inside his apartment and the neighboring one.

The fire started in the east side of the building in the attic, according to emergency radio traffic.

Capt. Fernando Tapiz told the Sentinel that the fire was kept largely to the attic and part of the kitchen of a single-story building that housed more than one residence. Firefighters are still investigating, but an electrical malfunction most likely caused the fire, he said.

No one was hurt. The American Red Cross responded to help some of the residents find temporary housing, according to emergency radio traffic.