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Modesto Resident Describes Leaping Over Balcony To Escape Apartment Fire

MODESTO (CBS13) — Three people have been taken to the hospital after an early morning fire at a Modesto apartment complex on Monday.

Modesto Fire says their crews responded to the scene along the 1300 block of Celeste Drive a little before 4:30 a.m.

The department told CBS13 that at least three people jumped from the burning building. Two of those people were Gulab Singh and his wife Sarbegeet Kur.

Singh said that they were sleeping when they woke up by the sound of what was happening around them.

"I go the front door, too much fire. I go door to outside, too much fire. I am finished. My have no other option. I go to balcony to fall on downside. So jump me and me wife," Singh said.

Firefighters say the incident quickly went to three alarms. Several agencies from around the area responded to help, including Ceres Fire and the Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District.

Firefighters say one building at the complex caught fire. A total of eight apartment units suffered significant damage, with firefighters saying a total of 12 people having been displaced.

Singh and Kur said that they lost everything as they leap to safety.

"My cash money, my documents inside; all fire," Kur said.

"Saw all damage to my building, my apartment, my document, other luggage. So, I'm sad," Singh said.

Exactly what caused the fire is under investigation.

While 12 people may be thinking what's next for them, Singh and Kur have found a silver lining in the leftover ash of this fire.

"I am safe. My health is safe," Singh said.

"Yeah, me and my husband together," Kur said.

The Modesto Fire Department didn't have a cost estimate of how much damage was caused. It said that another person who jumped from the apartment complex was taken to the hospital for their injuries.

Sadly, one resident dog died in the fire.

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