We’ve been posting stories about fires in condominiums for a number of years now. The main reason why we pay so much attention to condo fires, as opposed to home fires in HOA’s, is that a fire that starts in a condo unit, usually takes out many more units before it’s put out. As a result, CAN is very in favor of association’s being pro-active in fire prevention.
Condominium Fires
- 2 condo complex buildings destroyed in Leonia fire (NJ) February 14, 2025Two buildings at a condo complex in Leonia were destroyed in a Friday morning fire. The fire broke out just after 8:30 a.m. on Grand Avenue. Multiple crews responded to the location from neighboring municipalities throughout Bergen County. Video news report……………………..
- Man critically injured in Hampton condo fire, 15 displaced (VA) February 12, 2025A man is in critical condition after being rescued from a fire in Hampton Wednesday morning, officials say. Hampton Fire and Rescue said they responded to a fire in the 600 block of Willow Oaks Boulevard near Gosnold’s Hope Park. When crews arrived they found heavy smoke and flames coming from a “middle of the row” condo. Read the article…………………………….
- Plaistow Police, Fire Marshal’s Office Arrest Man Alleged to Be Connected with Condo Explosion (MA) February 12, 2025A 40-year-old Plaistow, N.H., man was arrested yesterday in connection with an explosion at a Westville Road condominium complex last Nov. 10. Derek John Blanchette was arrested and charged with alleged reckless conduct, use of a deadly weapon; endangering the welfare of a child; falsifying physical evidence; acts prohibited, involving ketamine; and acts prohibited, involving methylenedioxymethamphetamine. Read the article…………………………….
- Fire breaks out at Roswell condominium, townhome complex (GA) February 11, 2025The fire broke out at Martin’s Landing in Roswell on Monday evening. So far, officials say there have been no reported injuries. Read the article…………………………….
- Oceanside Condo Fire Injures 1 Resident (CA) February 8, 2025A late-morning fire damaged an Oceanside condominium Thursday and left one resident injured. The blaze broke out shortly after 10 a.m. in the 3600 block of Vista Campana South, east of El Camino Real and south of state Route 76, according to the Oceanside Fire Department. Read the article…………………………….
- ‘Get me out of here.’ Hammond North residents living condo owners’ nightmare (OH) February 7, 2025Leonard Webb and his wife, Diana Porter, are living a condo owner’s worst nightmare. The retired school teachers have been forced to vacate their freshly remodeled three-bedroom unit at The Hammond North Condominiums in College Hill to allow for remediation and reconstruction after two separate fires in March 2022 and February 2023. Read the article…………………………….
- Crews called to fire at Poland Twp. condo (OH) February 5, 2025No one was injured in a fire Wednesday afternoon at a Poland Township condo. No one was home when the fire started in the 3500 block of E. Western Reserve Road. A neighbor heard a fire alarm going off and called to report the fire. Read the article…………………………….
- Firefighters extinguish 11th-floor blaze at Kapiolani condo (HI) February 5, 2025Honolulu firefighters extinguished a blaze that broke out Monday afternoon on the 11th floor of a high-rise condo in Moiliili. The Honolulu Fire Department received a 911 call at 2:43 p.m. for a building fire at the Kapiolani Royale at 2474 Kapiolani Boulevard. Twelve units with 57 personnel responded, with the first arriving on scene just five minutes later. Read the article…………………………….
- Residents still reeling from Nashville condo fire (TN) February 4, 2025Fire ripped through a West Nashville condo complex less than a week ago. Neighbors are still trying to come to terms with the destruction. Smoke and flames could be seen for blocks, the Nashville Fire Department said. “The smoke was so thick that you could cut it with a knife,” resident Jeannette Myers told News 2. “You could cut it with a knife.” Read the article…………………………….
- Orland Park condo fire: 2 cats rescued, residents evacuated (IL) February 2, 2025The fire broke out at 11:30 a.m. at a six-unit condominium building in the 15300 block of Treetop Drive. The Orland Park Fire Protection District responded and found fire in a second-floor unit when they arrived. Read the article…………………………….
Fire Prevention & Safety
- How to become a Firewise community and sign up for emergency notifications in El Paso and Teller Counties (CO) February 6, 2025Ahead of a wildfire town hall being held by the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) News5 wants to share a few ways you can be prepared for wildfires and help prevent them. “This isn’t ‘if’ a wildfire is going to happen, it’s ‘when’ a wildfire is going to happen,” Jessica McIntire the program coordinator for education outreach with CSFD said. Read the article…………………………….
- LA fires fuel concerns over rising cost, availability of Tahoe homeowners’ insurance (CA) January 31, 2025Multiple homeowner’s associations (HOAs) are also increasingly involved in creating and enforcing “firewise community standards.” The Tahoe Donner HOA, for example, has its own forestry department which it claims is “is nationally regarded as a leader in their field when it comes to defensible space, wildfire reduction and overall forest health.” Read the article…………………………….
- Fire warden warns against fire mitigation group (CO) January 20, 2025“At a time when private property owners in our county are losing fire insurance daily or cannot obtain fire insurance for new construction, we cannot have an organization putting our county at risk with nonstandard practices or misleading information and our citizens now have the same information we have,” Williams said. NoFloCo says it is a committee of Indian Creek Property Owners Association (ICPOA) operating under ICPOA’s 501c 3. Read the article…………………………….
- Wildfire in Southern Colorado: L.A. lessons January 18, 2025The Golden Hills Homeowner Association has been proactive about mitigation in the neighborhood. Seeing the wildfire around Los Angeles is a reminder of why they do the work. “You know, not to the same scale, but you can certainly pick out certain areas within town that look very similar,” said Golden Hills Homeowner Association President, Robert Hicks. Read the article…………………………….
- Fire Ban For Tahoe Donner Homeowners And Renters In Effect (CA) January 15, 2025The Tahoe Donner homeowner’s association reports there is a fire ban for all Tahoe Donner owners, renters and guests starting Thursday. They said no outdoor wood or charcoal fires are allowed and fines will be immediately issued and enforced. Read the article…………………………….
- L.A. fires show limits of America’s efforts to cope with climate change January 11, 2025This week’s fires around Los Angeles present a puzzle: Why is California, the state best equipped to deal with wildfires, seemingly unable to prevent blazes from consuming entire chunks of the country’s second-largest city? Read the article…………………………….
- Greater Los Angeles-Area Wildfire Government Responses & Resources for Homeowners January 10, 2025CAI’s community of homeowners, volunteer leaders, community association managers, and business partners are devastated by the Los Angeles area wildfires. Our hearts break for California residents and families impacted by these devastating fires. The devastation stemming from multiple wildfires in Southern California are impacting community associations of all sizes and types in the Greater Los Angeles area. Read the article…………………………….
- Many communities aren’t ready for wildfire evacuations. Here’s what they can do(CA) January 10, 2025When the Palisades Fire exploded, people rushed to their cars to evacuate, but found the roads clogged with traffic. As the flames approached, police officers told drivers to flee on foot. The abandoned cars were later cleared with a bulldozer. The scene echoed evacuations from other recent wildfires, ones with far deadlier results. Read the article…………………………….
- The Getty Villa survived LA’s firestorms while the area around it burned, revealing a key lesson for homeowners (CA) January 10, 2025(While this article isnn’t specifically about community associations, the suggestions are good for them) The Palisades fire in California has burned through thousands of acres since breaking out Tuesday between Malibu and Santa Monica, but the iconic Getty Villa, which lay in its path, has remained standing with minor damage, even after homes and trees around it went up in flames. Read the article…………………………….
- Fire Safety for NYC Coops and Condos December 16, 2024What’s your biggest fear of living in an apartment building? Sure, leaks from burst pipes are costly and inconvenient, but fires? Fires are terrifying. They can escalate quickly, cause significant damage, and put lives at serious risk. The good news? Fires are often preventable if you take proactive measures. Here’s what every co-op and condo resident and board member should know to protect their building from a disaster. Read the article…………………………….
Fire Safety & Prevention Archives
Here are some additional resources regarding fire safety:
Hidden Home Fire Hazards and How to Eliminate Them https://www.statefarm.com/simple-insights/residence/hidden-home-fire-hazards-and-how-to-eliminate-them
Fire Safety for People with Disabilities: A How-To Guide for Prevention and Evacuation https://www.redfin.com/blog/fire-safety-for-people-with-disabilities
Q/A: Teaching a 3-year-old About Fire Safety https://www.care.com/c/questions/6704/what-should-i-teach-a-3-year-old-about-fire-s/
Disaster Safety and Prevention: Protecting Your Home and Family https://www.homeadvisor.com/r/disaster-safety-and-prevention/
How to Protect Yourself and Your Home Against Wildfires https://www.thezebra.com/insurance-news/5064/protect-home-wildfires/
Do Your Home Materials Pose a Fire Risk? https://www.angieslist.com/articles/do-your-home-materials-pose-fire-risk.htm
Homeowner Fire Safety Products Near You https://www.homedepot.com/b/Electrical-Fire-Safety/N-5yc1vZbmgb