Fire Engulfs 4-Story Apartment Building, Destroys 10 Mobile Homes

CARSON (CBS) — Firefighters battled a three-alarm fire at a four-story Carson apartment building that was under construction Thursday evening.

The flames spread to several nearby structures and reportedly destroyed at least 10 mobile homes adjacent to the property.

The building, located at 21828 S. Avalon Boulevard, is a total loss.

In addition to the ten destroyed units, five more sustained some damage.

Burning embers  ignited structures several blocks downwind from the original fire.

No injuries have been reported.

About 100 firefighters are on scene battling the flames.

Inspector Matt Levesque tells CBS2  a home-to-home evacuation has been ordered. He said firefighters are aided in the fact that many of the roofs of the mobile homes are made of materials that won't burn.

Flames and smoke were visible for miles.

Water was pumped on the fire from as far as a block away in many different directions.

Drivers were warned to avoid traveling on S. Avalon Boulevard, where possible.

Michael Page, of the Carson Community Center, said 100 people have been evacuated into the Center. His building is 300 yards away from the fire and he said, "I could feel the heat of the fire from across the street."

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The fire was first reported about 5 p.m. Thursday.

Juan Fernandez, reporting for KCAL9 and CBS2, says arson investigators are on scene.

He also said, officials estimate the damage to the apartment building at around $3.1 million and $600,000 for the mobile home park.

Also, for the time being, even mobile home structures not damaged in the mobile home park will be uninhabitable as they will be without lights or electricity for the foreseeable future.