New records detail likely cause of Fremont fire where two women plummeted to their deaths

FREMONT The families of two women who plummeted to their deaths in a Fremont apartment fire this year have filed lawsuits against the complex s management claiming they had no way to escape and their deaths could have been prevented Two separate lawsuits filed in Alameda County Superior Court accuse the firm that manages the Waterstone Apartments of negligence and failing to keep the -unit apartment complex safe Two women -year-old Lori Long and -year-old Charlotte Holguin died after falling four stories from Long s balcony during an April fire that fire officers say erupted sometime around a m Meanwhile newly obtained Fremont Fire Department records show the blaze originated in Long s apartment and likely started after someone either left a cigarette burning on a combustible surface or tampered with a butane lighter that caught something ablaze in the living room Fire inspection records issued to this news organization contained images of a charred and cluttered apartment littered with multiple types of drug paraphernalia and other miscellaneous belongings such as an electric bike clothes butane lighters and cigarette butts The two-alarm fire caused at least in damages and brought more than fire personnel to the scene records show The records also show a history of over fire code violations throughout the entire apartment complex dating back through last year including dozens ascertained on May after the fire such as inaccessible fire extinguishers no smoke detectors and electrical hazards Fremont Fire Department official looks out from a balcony at an apartment in building of the Waterstone Apartments at Bidwell Drive on Monday April in Fremont Calif One person was killed and three others were injured Sunday morning in a two-alarm fire at the apartment complex that left dozens of residents displaced officials explained Aric Crabb Bay Area News Group Aric Crabb Bay Area News Group In a phone interview Jeff Vucinich the attorney representing the parties behind the Waterstone Apartments MV-EPT Apartments Pinnacle Property Management Services and SecureLion Guard declared I don t see any liability on the apartment complex never have never will Waterstone Apartments did not return a request for comment on this story Vucinich acknowledged Monday that he was aware the fire department had finished its review on the fire but stated he hadn t yet read it He added that based on site inspection and meetings with clients I can t see where the apartment management had anything to do with this unfortunate tragedy But the lawyers representing the family of Long and Holguin have placed the blame on the groups tasked with ensuring safety at the complex located at Fremont Blvd Colin Jones an attorney representing John Long the brother of Lori Long explained in a message Tuesday that his firm is inspecting what appears to be a series of preventable failures in safety property management and crisis response at the Waterstone Apartments that contributed to the circumstances of Ms Long s death Property owners and managers have non-delegable duties to ensure safe premises adequate maintenance and proper emergency protections Our responsibility is to identify all negligent actors and pursue full legal accountability on behalf of Ms Long s family he wrote Fremont Fire Department vehicles at the scene of a fatal fire that erupted about a m in an apartment in building of the Waterstone Apartments at Bidwell Drive on Sunday April in Fremont Calif One person was killed and three others were injured Sunday morning in a two-alarm fire at the apartment complex that left dozens of residents displaced agents commented Aric Crabb Bay Area News Group In court documents the Longs attorneys allege that the apartment complex chronically allowed obstructions of fire lanes at the apartment complex which also reportedly slowed down firefighters attempting to save Long and Holguin during the blaze Initial statements to this news organization on April from fire executives show that firefighters were unable to deploy a ground or aerial ladder in time to save the two women due to obstructions in the parking lot area The Longs lawyers argue these obstructions alongside inoperative smoke alarms lack of accessibly displayed fire escape maps and other outdated fire safety measures at the apartment complex trapped Lori Long in her apartment and forced her onto the balcony These alleged failures by the apartment s management deprived Decedent of critical early warning minutes required for escape according to court documents Attorneys allege that due to prolonged smoke inhalation and with nowhere left to run Lori Long had no choice but to fall from the fourth floor She was transported to a hospital where she died of her her injuries two days later according to court documents They should have upgraded the interior at least for a fire suppression system or a sprinkler system Cory Weck the attorney representing Victor Wilson Holguin s mother explained this news organization Tuesday Weck explained the situation is inexcusable and there s no reason why the complex didn t update their sprinkler system before the fire According to Weck Holguin was visiting Long at Long s apartment when the fire broke out In court documents Weck alleges the apartment complex failed to use reasonable care to keep the Property in a reasonably safe condition or reasonably maintain the property in a safe condition This he added is what contributed to her death after she was left with no safe exigency exit during the fire After more than minutes dangling from the balcony both women eventually fell to their deaths according to court documents Urgency responders the morning of the fire pronounced Holguin dead after she fell from the balcony Her son continues to suffer severe grief sorrow loneliness and associated great mental and physical pain emotional distress pain and suffering and other general damages Weck wrote in court documents Weck stated the event is absolutely horrific for Wilson and it s everyone s worst nightmare He disclosed he took the affair to actuate change in other apartment buildings that may be out-dated on their own exigency systems This is going to be a intricate situation but we want to effectuate change A study by the Bay Area News Group established that Fremont fire at the time had the second worst record of state-required safety inspections in the region with just of apartment buildings inspected Weck commented both residents and visitors of any apartment building should at least be entitled to feel secure and safe from a fire and not have to leap to their deaths from a balcony Staff writer Chase Hunter contributed reporting A photo from the Fremont Fire Department depicts the aftermath of a fatal apartment fire that erupted at about a m on April in a fourth floor residence at Waterstone Apartments Investigators shared the attainable origin of the fire started after a discarded lit cigarette butt or a butane lighter caught several furniture on fire after one of the occupants fell asleep in the living room Two women Lori Long and Charlotte Holguin fell to their deaths from a balcony on the fourth story of the building while trying to escape the flames Courtesy City of Fremont A photo from the Fremont Fire Department depicts the aftermath of a fatal apartment fire that erupted at about a m on April in a fourth floor residence at Waterstone Apartments Investigators noted multiple types of drug paraphernalia in the residence including cigarette butts butane lighters a tourniquet and syringe Two women Lori Long and Charlotte Holguin fell to their deaths from a balcony on the fourth story of the building while trying to escape the flames Courtesy City of Fremont A photo from the Fremont Fire Department depicts the aftermath of a fatal apartment fire that erupted at about a m on April in a fourth floor residence at Waterstone Apartments Two women Lori Long and Charlotte Holguin fell to their deaths from a balcony on the fourth story of the building while trying to escape the flames Courtesy City of Fremont A photo from the Fremont Fire Department depicts the aftermath of a fatal apartment fire that erupted at about a m on April in a fourth floor residence at Waterstone Apartments Two women Lori Long and Charlotte Holguin fell to their deaths from a balcony on the fourth story of the building while trying to escape the flames Courtesy City of Fremont A photo from the Fremont Fire Department depicts the aftermath of a fatal apartment fire that erupted at about a m on April in a fourth floor residence at Waterstone Apartments Two women Lori Long and Charlotte Holguin fell to their deaths from a balcony on the fourth story of the building while trying to escape the flames Courtesy City of Fremont Show Caption of A photo from the Fremont Fire Department depicts the aftermath of a fatal apartment fire that erupted at about a m on April in a fourth floor residence at Waterstone Apartments Investigators informed the accomplishable origin of the fire started after a discarded lit cigarette butt or a butane lighter caught specific furniture on fire after one of the occupants fell asleep in the living room Two women Lori Long and Charlotte Holguin fell to their deaths from a balcony on the fourth story of the building while trying to escape the flames Courtesy City of Fremont Expand