UPDATE 7:42 p.m.: Arcata Fire Protection District press release:

At approximately 1:00 p.m. this afternoon Arcata Fire Protection District was dispatched to a structure fire at a multi-unit residence on the 2200 block of Alliance Road. Upon arrival the first in officer reported heavy black smoke coming from the back of the residence from one unit and light gray smoke coming from a second unit with flames showing in the front of the structure. It was reported that one of the apartments was occupied at the time of the fire. AFPD conducted a search of the units and at that time crews found the deceased in one of the apartments. A total of three units were damaged by the fire. The fire is currently under a joint investigation by AFPD and Arcata Police Department. No other injuries have been reported.

Multiple agencies assisted in extinguishing this fire. “Without the assistance of neighboring agencies this fire would have been difficult to extinguish,” explains Battalion Chief Campbell. AFPD responded with four engines and two chief officers and 14 firefighters. Humboldt Bay Fire responded with one chief officer and one engine, Blue Lake Fire District responded with one chief officer and one engine, Cal Fire responded with two engines to assist with coverage in the AFPD area. APD is assisting with the investigation, PG&E assisted with securing the utilities, and Arcata – Mad River Ambulance also responded.

With this tragedy AFPD would like to remind everyone to be sure you have a home escape plan and to practice your plan. “Part of reviewing your home escape plan is to ensure you have working smoke alarms in each sleeping room and to test them once a month,” explains Fire Prevention Specialist Jenny Williamson.

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Original post below:

One person was killed this afternoon in a fire that broke out at the Arcata Gardens apartment complex near the intersection of Alliance Road and Westwood Court. Arcata Fire Protection District responded to the blaze around 1 p.m., noting black smoke and visible flames. The Arcata Police Department also responded to the scene, with backup provided by Humboldt Bay Fire, Cal Fire and the Blue Lake Fire Department.

One person was found dead, according to Jenny Williamson, a fire prevention specialist with Arcata Fire.

Three apartments were affected. The Outpost‘s Andrew Goff submitted these photos. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, though several witnesses told the Outpost that they suspect a resident of the apartment complex set the fire purposefully.

We’ll update as we learn more.