Apartment buildings damaged in three-alarm fire in San Marcos

Two apartment buildings in San Marcos were damaged by a three-alarm fire Monday afternoon, as crews from several nearby agencies battled to keep it from spreading, officials said.

Residents in the area began calling 911 shortly before 1:25 p.m. to report seeing smoke and flames coming from a building on West San Marcos Boulevard, east of North Twin Oaks Road, said sheriff’s Lt. Jason Phillips.

Deputies rushed to the area and began evacuating residents from the burning building and also residents living in nearby structures, Phillips said.

Fire officials were told the fire started on the exterior of a unit in the Cactus Garden apartments. It then spread to the west to a nearby wooden fence and ignited a neighboring building, San Marcos Fire Division Chief Jason Nailon said.

The cause of the fire was under investigation. About 10 to 15 people were displaced, Nailon said.

Even before the first crews arrived, fire officials had called in a second alarm, requesting more resources. Shortly before 1:50 p.m., a third alarm was issued. In all, more than 50 firefighters from San Marcos, Vista, Carlsbad and Cal Fire responded to the blaze, Nailon said.

Crews took up a defensive posture, trying to keep flames from spreading to other structures in the area, which is home to a “cluster of apartments,” Nailon said.

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