Student Housing Catches Fire near Santa Barbara City College

Flames sprang from the Beach City apartments on Cliff Drive in Santa Barbara late in the evening on September 9, leaving 14 students safe but without an apartment to live in.

The fire started around 9 p.m. on Saturday above apartment 807 in the attic of one of the seven multi-story buildings on the site. The Santa Barbara City Fire Department was on the scene 15 minutes after the call, said Fire Marshal Ryan DiGuilio. Two firefighters scaled the sides of the complex to cut two holes in the roof in order to release the heated gases, while six fire trucks below sprayed the flames with water. In about 20 minutes, the flames were extinguished.

Sited next to Santa Barbara City College, Beach City is home to many students and is owned by Santa Barbara developer Ed St. George. Delaney Smith, an employee with St. George Associates and a former reporter for the Independent, said blue sky was visible through the roof of the burned units. The 14 students, who lived in two apartments that are now ceiling-less, were relocated to a hotel the night of the fire at their landlord’s expense. Smith stated, “Tenants’ safety and well-being is our highest priority,” and the students are still within walking distance of the school.

DiGuilio said it looked like the fire was started by an electrical issue in the attic floor. Two of the apartments closest to the attic are completely uninhabitable due to the smoke and fire damage. Other units below the top floor suffered water damage, and the tenants currently are waiting for the gas line to be turned back on.