An electrical issue might have caused the massive Bayside apartment fire, officials say
The State Fire Marshal's Office likely will rule the cause of Saturday's massive fire at a Bayside apartment complex as "undetermined," according to North Shore Fire Captain Dan Tyk.
The fire marshal's office does not believe the cause of the fire to be suspicious, though an electrical issue may be to blame.
Investigators suspected there might have been an electrical issue near the first or second floor balcony on the south side of the apartment complex. However, they were not able to find conclusive evidence of such an issue, Tyk said, so the cause will remain undetermined.
Ladder trucks were used to rescue at least 14 residents from balconies on the second and third floors of the White Oaks apartment complex, 9009 N. White Oak Lane, around 12:15 a.m. Saturday. The fire displaced more than 100 residents from the 62-unit complex.
Multiple pets have not been accounted for, and are believed to have died in the blaze, Tyk said.
Six residents were treated on scene for injuries, and two of those were taken to hospitals. One firefighter was treated and released for non-life-threatening injuries.
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Tyk said he has heard mixed reports about whether the building had working fire alarms. Some residents reported hearing a buzzing sound but not a regular fire alarm sound. The first firefighters on the scene reported hearing a fire alarm, but it remains unclear when those alarms started ringing. The fire department has not tested the alarms, Tyk said, because the building's power is out.
The apartment building also did not have sprinklers, except in the parking area. While fire sprinklers are required in buildings with more than 20 units, Tyk said he does not believe that regulation was in place in the late 1980s, when the apartment complex was built.
Resources available
The entire building was evacuated after the fire, causing most of the residents to stay with friends, family members or in hotel rooms.
About 20 residents spent the first night in the gymnasium of St. Eugene Catholic School, where the Red Cross had set up a shelter. Thirteen people slept in the gym on the second night, and three people stayed the third night.
The Red Cross is bringing together state agencies, insurance companies and non-profit organizations for a multi-agency resource center event from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 3 at St. Eugene's, 7600 N. Port Washington Road. The event is designed to help displaced residents replace important documents, file insurance claims and get their lives back on track.
About 20 displaced residents have stopped through the shelter during the daytime to receive meals, clothing and other resources. The Red Cross has also helped displaced residents replace prescription medicines and eyeglasses that might have been lost in the fire.
The owner of the building, Katz Properties, has been working with residents to help them move into vacant units in other nearby properties.
The community has flooded the Red Cross shelter with donations to the point where no more material donations are needed. One and a half walls of the St. Eugene's gymnasium are lined with clothing, hygiene items, appliances and other donated items, said Justin Kern, regional communications officer with the Red Cross.
One man who stopped into St. Eugene's to drop off a donation saw a displaced resident without shoes. When he found out they wore the same shoe size, he gave them the shoes off his feet and went home barefoot.
Found in the rubble
Firefighters were able to recover some valuables from the building, such as a woman's wedding dress and her fiance's military blues. The couple is set to be married in seven weeks.
Cassidy Williams, of WITI-TV, said on Facebook that firefighters were able to rescue her grandmother's diamond necklace, as well as a Bible belonging to her late uncle. She said her insurance company has paid for her to stay in a hotel room until she is able to move into a new apartment.
Firefighters also recovered some driver's licenses, passports and other important documents for other residents.
Tyk said he wishes they could have recovered more property for residents, but firefighters' first priority on the night of the fire was getting residents out.
"This is by no means a win for us, but the fact that we had a fire in a 62-unit building in the middle of the night, and that nobody was seriously injured or killed is a win," Tyk said.
Contact Jeff Rumage at (262) 446-6616 or jeff.rumage@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffRumage or Facebook at www.facebook.com/northshorenow.
