Mustang Daily Staff Report
news@mustangdaily.net
A small apartment fire in Poly Canyon Village’s (PCV) Corralitos building resulted in approximately $20,000 worth of damage to the structure, according to the San Luis Obispo City Fire Department (SLOFD).
The fire, which occurred shortly before 8 p.m. on Wednesday, was caused by a candle that was left unattended in one of the building’s first-floor apartments, Fire Marshall Roger Maggio said.
Candles are not allowed in PCV apartments according to the PCV Community Standards Policies. The policies also state that “residents may be held responsible for intentional or unintentional negligence that leads to fire alarms being activated.”
SLOFD and Cal Fire responded to a call from the building at 7:48 p.m. When they arrived on the scene, officials found “dense smoke” pouring out of the apartment, according to a SLOFD press release. The combination of the fire teams and the building’s fire sprinkler system kept the fire in check though, according to the release.
The University Police Department also responded to the scene and led the student evacuation. Approximately 400 students were evacuated during the incident and were not allowed back in until shortly before 10 p.m.
According to the release, fire damage was limited to part of a bedroom, though there was some water damage to the four-room suite. Approximately $5,000 worth of damage to personal property also occurred. The students who lived in the suite were provided with temporary housing.