An early-morning building fire left a four-unit apartment complex on the 3500 block of 25th Avenue with severe damage Saturday.
The fire was called in at 4:31 a.m. and Lawrie Skolrood, deputy chief of the Vernon Fire Department, said the entire back of the building was fully involved when firefighters arrived on scene. After fire crews battled the blaze throughout the morning, Skolrood said the building was left with severe damage to both the exterior and interior and that the roof was completely destroyed.
Skolrood added all residents escaped the blaze and were accounted for.
Initial indications are the fire began outside the building, but Skolrood said the department will wait for a full investigation before yielding a conclusion.
“Anytime you have an outdoor fire and four in the morning, you have some concern. We’re treating it as a suspicious fire,” he said.
