San Diego — Late Friday night (Oct. 3, 11:58 p.m.), San Diego Fire-Rescue responded to an exterior patio fire at an apartment complex at 3231 Kearny Villa Lane, Building SDC-1825. The blaze burned through the contents of a rear patio, climbed the exterior wall, and involved a nearby tree before crews brought it under control. Smoke damage was reported inside at least one unit, according to Battalion Chief Vino Ornelas.
Ornelas said the cause remains under investigation, with a possible e-bike battery charger noted during the initial assessment. Approximately 8–9 adults were displaced, and the American Red Cross was contacted to assist. No injuries were reported to us as of press time.
Resident Mark Mendez told SD Slackers he heard “a couple pops” while trying to sleep, then looked outside to see flames and dialed 911, calling the scene “kind of surreal.”
Firefighters arrived with a full assignment — B4, E5, E18, E36, HZM1, M18, T14, T45, B2, E23, E28, T28 — and requested SDG&E. Access was briefly complicated by a vehicle blocking a hydrant; an SDPD officer issued parking citations at the direction of firefighters.
Ornelas also urged the public to use caution with lithium-ion batteries and chargers and avoid leaving them unattended.
