Wednesday, dispatchers at the Kern County Emergency Communications Center began receiving multiple reports of an apartment on fire. Firefighters from both the Kern County and Bakersfield City fire departments were dispatched to the emergency. 

As additional information was received the call was escalated to a “second alarm” response. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered one multi-unit, multi-story, apartment complex well involved with fire. Additionally, the fire had spread to another identical complex nearby and toward several homes behind the apartments.

Reports were also made to firefighters that individuals may be inside the buildings on fire. With this extreme amount of fire activity, and the need to quickly assign firefighters to search for victims, the call was escalated again to a “third alarm.”

 Firefighters quickly conducted searches for victims inside and found none. Operations to stop the fire-spread and extinguish the fire continued. In less than 45 minutes after firefighters arrived on scene the Incident Commander declared a knockdown on the fire. 

Six adults and two pets were displaced by the fire and are receiving care from Red Cross. 

*****Firefighters at the Sterling Incident had a variety of challenges to contend with. A fast-moving fire involving multiple structures, traffic congestion from curious members of the community, charged/downed power lines, triple-digit heat, and water supply lines damaged from passersby driving over them. We ask that our community please allow emergency personnel the room necessary to protect themselves and our community.