More than a dozen people are without a place to live after flames erupted from a large southwest Bakersfield apartment complex early Tuesday morning.
Flames were shooting from the roof of one of the buildings at The Springs on Camino Media off Gosford Road.
Dozens of residents woke to the smell of smoke and an eerie glow outside their windows.
One apartment resident who lives in another building that didn't burn, 17's Rob Martin, sprang into action.
"There were three of us that went banging on doors because there were several units in this building. We were just waking everybody up because a lot of people didn't know," said Martin. "I went up to this door, and the eaves above it were already burning so I put my hoodie on because embers were coming down where me and another guy were running up the stairs."
"I was sleeping and the smoke smell woke me up. I woke up my family, we went out and saw the upstairs fire, knocked on the door and told them your apartment is on fire," said resident Carlos Ceron.
Fortunately everyone got out safely, but most had to leave their belongings behind.
"It's our home. My wife is crying. She can't take it that all of her stuff is probably gone," said resident Hershesh Mehta.
Damage is estimated at $850,000.
Inside the apartments, the flames charred furniture and left living rooms filled with ash.
Six apartments were heavily damaged.
The fire department says more than a dozen people are left without a place to go.
The cause is still under investigation, but fire officials believe it may have started with an electrical short.
Flames were shooting from the roof of one of the buildings at The Springs on Camino Media off Gosford Road.
Dozens of residents woke to the smell of smoke and an eerie glow outside their windows.
One apartment resident who lives in another building that didn't burn, 17's Rob Martin, sprang into action.
"There were three of us that went banging on doors because there were several units in this building. We were just waking everybody up because a lot of people didn't know," said Martin. "I went up to this door, and the eaves above it were already burning so I put my hoodie on because embers were coming down where me and another guy were running up the stairs."
"I was sleeping and the smoke smell woke me up. I woke up my family, we went out and saw the upstairs fire, knocked on the door and told them your apartment is on fire," said resident Carlos Ceron.
Fortunately everyone got out safely, but most had to leave their belongings behind.
"It's our home. My wife is crying. She can't take it that all of her stuff is probably gone," said resident Hershesh Mehta.
Damage is estimated at $850,000.
Inside the apartments, the flames charred furniture and left living rooms filled with ash.
Six apartments were heavily damaged.
The fire department says more than a dozen people are left without a place to go.
The cause is still under investigation, but fire officials believe it may have started with an electrical short.
