Three fire departments respond to South Lake Tahoe apartment fire

One apartment was heavily damaged during an afternoon fire in South Lake Tahoe Wednesday.

At 4:00 p.m. on July 25, 2018, South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue (SLTFR) was called out to the Rockwater Apartments in the 700 block of Emerald Bay Road. A fire had erupted on the deck of one of the apartments, apparently at a propane tank.

Two employees of Sonney's BBQ Shack, which is directly in front of the apartment, grabbed fire extinguishers as did the occupant of another apartment and ran to the fire. All three were able to get it under control as SLTFR, Lake Valley Fire Department and Tahoe Douglas Fire Department arrived, along with paramedics/EMTs. Tahoe Douglas brought the only hook and ladder fire truck on the South Shore as a precaution due to the location of the fire near a busy residential and commercial area.

The two residents of the apartment escaped out a back window as the fire was at their front door. All other residents were able to get out. There were no injuries.

Firefighters spent time under the roof of the one-story apartment, making sure no fire was in the smoky attic space.

At 5:45 p.m., all residents except those from two apartments were allowed back into their homes and Liberty Utilities was attempting to isolate electricity so power could be restored to the occupiable apartments.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by South Lake Tahoe Police and Fire Departments.