Person falls to death after fire breaks out in Fremont apartment; 3 others injured

1 person falls to their death escaping Fremont apartment fire

A person died after falling while attempting to escape a fire at an apartment complex in Fremont. Three others were injured in the fire, which broke out early Sunday morning. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.

FREMONT, Calif. - One person has died, and three others were injured following a two-alarm fire in Fremont early Sunday.

What we know:

It was around 2:50 a.m. when crews from the Fremont Fire Department responded to a building at the Waterstone Apartments on Bidwell Drive.

At the scene, crews learned there were multiple residents trapped on a balcony on the fourth floor, officials said.

Two residents trapped on the balcony tried to escape the fire.

An official with the Fremont Fire Department said it's unclear at this time if the pair fell from the balcony or were attempting to leap onto the balcony area below the unit on fire.

Officials said obstructions in the parking lot impeded their ability in placing the ground ladder. Just as they were doing so, the two residents fell to the ground.

One resident was declared dead soon after, and three others were transported to a local hospital for their injuries.

The fire woke several neighbors in the middle of the night, who described the scene as chaotic.

Sandra Standlee, who lives in a building next door, said she woke up to a woman screaming for help.

"We actually seen the couple— I don’t know if it was a couple, but it was a male and female," Standlee said. "They climbed over the balcony. It looks like they were trying to hold on, and then one of the individuals must have slipped and pulled with the other one, so they both immediately fell straight down here."

Of the three injured, one was last reported to be in critical condition. Another was transported in serious but stable condition, and the third was transported with minor injuries and has since been released from the hospital, officials said.

Officials said that three of the victims were from the same apartment unit while the fourth one was from a neighboring unit on the fourth floor.

"I feel very traumatized by what happened. It’s very surreal," said Standlee. "I haven’t slept. My husband and I just keep replaying what could we have done? But there’s just absolutely no way that they could have been helped any quicker."

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Fire at Fremont Apartment complex. One person has died, Fremont fire officials said.

What's next:

All residents in the apartment building where the fire occurred have been displaced due to widespread smoke and water damage. Officials said the Red Cross is assisting.

What we don't know:

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

"At this point, there’s reports that people heard an explosion or explosions, which happens a lot of times in fires because of compressed gas cylinders, aerosol bottles, or something that can explode or pop," said Battalion Chief Greg Biddle of the Fremont Fire Department. "Whether something exploded to cause the fire or whether the fire caused something to explode, we don’t know at this time."

It's unclear how long residents will be displaced because of the fire, officials said.

According to officials, the last fatal fire in Fremont was in October 2024.

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