Overview
- A fire at the Valley Oak apartment complex on Oakdale Road on Sunday morning displaced 29 people, including 23 adults and six children, and killed one cat.
- Residents and neighbors, including Jerry Lewis, knocked on doors and used fire extinguishers to evacuate units before the Modesto Fire Department arrived at about 7:45 a.m.
- Fire crews contained the blaze with no reported human injuries, but officials say six units were damaged and loss of power left 16 units unlivable.
- The American Red Cross is providing short-term financial aid and basic necessities and plans to remain engaged for days to weeks to connect residents with recovery resources; some tenants were allowed brief access to retrieve essential documents.
- Officials are investigating the fire’s cause and residents now face sudden housing disruption and service restoration needs, which could affect school and work arrangements and require longer-term community support.