One person is in custody after a fire consumed part of an apartment complex on the 500 block of Gary Street in Crescent City yesterday.

Leigha Labraska.

The Crescent City Police Department announced today that 31-year-old Leigha Labraska was arrested for arson in connection to the fire. According to CCPD, Labraska is a tenant of the apartment building.

When firefighters arrived on scene, flames were seen licking up from the building’s second-story window and multiple people were evacuated form the building.

Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to a single apartment, and later deemed the fire to be suspicious in nature.

No injuries were reported as a result of the fire. Read more from the involved agencies below.

Crescent City Fire and Rescue press release:

On Monday, April 8, 2019 at 10:28 p.m. Crescent City Fire and Rescue was dispatched to an apartment fire in the area of 1045 E. Condor. Firefighters arrived to find a fire burning in the apartment at 505 Gary Street.

Crescent City Police Department had a unit on scene that was working to evacuate occupants from the apartment building. The fire building was two story and contained a total of four apartments. The other three apartments were occupied at the time.

Fire was pushing heavily from the second-floor window of the apartment. It was reported early that there was possibly a person still inside the apartment. It was also reported that a person who may be involved with the fire had fled northbound from the apartment.

Mutual aid was requested from Fort Dick Volunteer Fire Department and Pelican Bay Prison Fire Department. The first arriving engine established a water supply from the hydrant at the front of the apartment building and pulled a 1.75” attack line. The crew flowed water in the second-floor window briefly to cool the fire, then made entry to the apartment and the second floor to attack the fire.

The fire was quickly knocked down and the fire attack crew began a search of the apartment while a second crew was sent interior to pull ceiling and check for fire extension into the attack area. No occupants were located within the apartment.

The other apartments were checked for fire spread, and it was confirmed that only the fire apartment was impacted. Additional personnel continued with overhaul of the fire apartment to confirm all hotspots were out.

Crescent City Fire & Rescue responded with two engines, one ladder truck, a rescue unit, and three support vehicles, staffed with 16 volunteer firefighters. Fort Dick Fire responded with two engines staffed with a total of six volunteer firefighters; one Fort Dick engine was at scene, and one covered Washington Fire Station for additional incidents. Pelican Bay Prison Fire responded with one engine with five personnel. No injuries were sustained by any of the 27 responding volunteer firefighters.

The cause of the fire is suspicious and remains under investigation. The fire caused approximately $40,000 in damage to the building, but the other three adjoining apartments remained relatively unscathed with only minimal smoke odor to the interior.

Through the fast work of the volunteer firefighters, approximately $400,000 in building and contents value was saved. The occupants of the other three apartments in the building were able to return at approximately 12:30 a.m. The fire is suspicious in nature and remains under investigation. Crescent City Police Department, CALFIRE, and Crescent City Fire & Rescue are working together on the investigation.

Crescent City Fire & Rescue would like to remind our community to be sure you have working smoke alarms in all sleeping rooms, the common areas leading to sleeping rooms, and on each floor of your home.

Crescent City Police Department: 

On the evening of 4/8/2019 there was a structure fire reported at 1045 E. Condor Street #505.

A tenant, Leigha Labraska was taken into custody for PC 451, Arson (felony).

There were several witnesses on scene who helped law enforcement greatly. There were also several subjects who may have witnessed more of the incident but were unable to or chose not to give a statement. If any witnesses have information related to this investigation, please contact the CCPD at 707-464-2133 or contact Dispatch at 707-464-4191.

A big thank you to the community members who stepped up and helped us. You played a role in the safety of Crescent City residents and the CCPD thanks you!