SANTA MONICA—On Wednesday, April 20, the Santa Monica Fire Department (SMFD) responded to a call of a structure fire in the 1900 block of 20th Street in the Pico neighborhood.

SMFD Captain Patrick Nulty indicated in a press release that initial reports about people being inside the apartment complex at the time of the fire needing rescue were not accurate. Firefighters on the scene attempted to save four cats, fitting them with, “pet oxygen masks.” First responders were able to successfully resuscitate two of the four felines. The two others died.

Occupants of the apartment that burned along with three of the adjoining apartments were displaced overnight due to the fire.

SMFD Respond To Fire

Canyon News spoke to Captain Nulty about two fires in the city. One report indicated a fire transpired on April 18 in the 1900 block of 17th St. The second fire occurred on April 20. Both were structure fires in apartment buildings in the Pico region.

The first fire took place on April 18, at a two-story multi-unit apartment complex. Captain Nulty reported that the SMFD responded within 6 minutes and kept the fire contained to one apartment on the first floor. It took 27 firefighters to extinguish the flames. All occupants were able to escape unharmed.

“Thankfully, there were no injuries reported to residents or first responders,” Captain Nulty told Canyon News. SMFD investigators ruled the fire to be “unintentional.”

Assisting agencies included The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD), Santa Monica Building and Safety, and McCormick Ambulance service.