Smoker Causes Fire
[and Displaces Five Residents]
L.A. Daily News, Aug. 2, 2010

A smoker started a fire that caused $60,000 damage to a three-story Echo Park [CA] apartment building Sunday, a fire spokesperson said.

The fire started on the second-story patio of the building at Waterloo and Montana streets about 5:45 a.m. and was put out in 16 minutes, Brian Humphrey of Los Angeles Fire Department said.

No injuries were reported.  "The cause of the fire is careless smoking. There was some upholstered furniture on the second floor.  Careless smoking ignited the fire," he said. 

the fire caused $40,000 damage to the structure and $20,000 to contents, Humphrey said.

Five adults were displaced -  three from the fire unit and two from the first floor unit - due to water and smoke damage, he said.