April 2–At 4:18 p.m. the Fire Alarm Center received an automatic fire alarm from the basement of a 3-story condo complex located on the 3800 of Beach Drive Southwest. Residents had evacuated the building upon hearing the fire alarm.
The first arriving engine company found a car on fire in the underground open-air garage. Fortunately, the buildings sprinkler system had activated and contained the fire to the one car. Firefighters from Engine Company 29 located the source of the fire under the hood and dash of the car and quickly extinguished it.
The fire sprinkler system was shut down and all of the residual water was pumped out by Ladder 11’s crew. Firefighters tested the air quality with their air monitors and found it to be safe. Residents were allowed back in the building.
The firefighters determined the cause of the fire to be an apparent electrical malfunction originating at the battery of the car. The estimated content loss was $18,000 and the estimated damage to the structure was $1,000.
No one was injured.