Watsonville apartment fire sparked by forgotten frying pan

Fire investigators say a greasy frying pan left unattended on a stove sparked the blaze that gutted two apartments and left two families homeless Wednesday.

[Someone Else]

Fire officials also found several smoke detectors in the apartment that either needed batteries or were broken.
Is the tenant responsible for maintenence of the smoke detectors or the property management firm's responsibility? This is just one apartment of several in the building.

[Landlord]

is responsible in SC County. Mother F-r slum lords.

[editor please]

"...where the fire started for nearly 15 years." A long time to be smoldering.

[alwayssomeoneels esfault]

Landlord wrote:

is responsible in SC County. Mother F-r slum lords.

The slumlords are only responsible for the smoke detectors not the batteries. The idiot tenant should inform the slumlords if the units aren't working.
Perhaps the test instructions were only printed in English and the tenants didn't know how to check them. Who knows.
When I rented I checked these things out all by my self. Just like the Pull Ups commercial, I'm a big kid now! If the unit was defective I'd call the slumlord. If it simply needed a battery, I bought one.
If these people really cared for their kids/family they would have taken the necessary steps. They can work the system but they can't by a battery or make a call to the slumlord? duh

[Not my fault]

alwayssomeoneelsesfault wrote:

<quoted text>
The slumlords are only responsible for the smoke detectors not the batteries. The idiot tenant should inform the slumlords if the units aren't working.
Perhaps the test instructions were only printed in English and the tenants didn't know how to check them. Who knows.
When I rented I checked these things out all by my self. Just like the Pull Ups commercial, I'm a big kid now! If the unit was defective I'd call the slumlord. If it simply needed a battery, I bought one.
If these people really cared for their kids/family they would have taken the necessary steps. They can work the system but they can't by a battery or make a call to the slumlord? duh

How right you are. How many times have we come across smoke detectors that had the battery pulled out by the residents "because it went off when we were cooking". I see in the other articles from yesterday the anonymous tenants spouting off about the 'old stoves' that 'don't work' and blaming the landlord. Boy, everyone's good at gaming the system and looking to blame someone else. Guess it was the TENANT'S FAULT for leaving a greasy pan on the stove and leaving the apartment with the stove on!! Now how is that the landlord's fault?

[Just Sayin]

Not my fault wrote:

<quoted text>
How right you are. How many times have we come across smoke detectors that had the battery pulled out by the residents "because it went off when we were cooking". I see in the other articles from yesterday the anonymous tenants spouting off about the 'old stoves' that 'don't work' and blaming the landlord. Boy, everyone's good at gaming the system and looking to blame someone else. Guess it was the TENANT'S FAULT for leaving a greasy pan on the stove and leaving the apartment with the stove on!! Now how is that the landlord's fault?

The tenant did the same on the news last night. Faulty stove? Uh, no. Leaving the stove on high 'just for a little bit' while you go to the store? Yeah, that'll do it.

[STOP WORKING ILLEGALS]

STOP WORKING THEM IN YOUR HIOMES SANTA CRUZ ITS ALL YOUR FAULT, i AM A LANDLORD I SUPPLY BATTEREIES AND SMOKE DETECTORS IN EVERY ROOM WHEN A TENNANT TAKES THE BATTERY OUT ITS 100% THEIR FAULT. iF THEY ARE NOT WORKING ITS 100% THEIR FAULT AS THEY WERE WHEN HOMES ARE RENTED. iTS UP TO THEM TO INFORM LANDLORDS IF AND WHEN ANYTHING NEEDS FIXING. THES PEOPLE DONT CARE ABOUT ANYTHING REALLY. I NEVER EVER RENT TO THEM.I DONT EVER EVER BRING THEM IN MYHOMES TO DO ANY WORK. I MAKE SURE ALL EMPLOYEES ARE LEGALS WITH AN ID IN HAND WELL BEFORE I SIGN ANY CONTRACTS. ITS A NO BRAINER AMERICA.

[Kathy M]

Should have had the StoveTop FireStop - a fire suppressor that puts out grease fires as soon as they start. It's like a flame activated fire extinguisher. I have a pair in my house and my parents house. It saves their whole house from burning down and they're only about $40.

[Concerned]

What would you folks expect from a Sanctuary City which houses tens of thousands of illegal immigrants in substandard poorly maintaned apartments some of which a taxpayer supported Section 8 Housing?

[Concerned]

Just Sayin wrote:

<quoted text>
The tenant did the same on the news last night. Faulty stove? Uh, no. Leaving the stove on high 'just for a little bit' while you go to the store? Yeah, that'll do it.

Hell, maybe the fault could be even explained via Rodney Dangerfield:
"My wife's cooking is so bad she thinks the fire alarm is a kitchen timer! Or....
"My wife's cooking is so bad, the flies got together and fixed the hole in the screen door!"

[Someone who was there]

I am ashamed of all of you! Accidents happen. This was an accident and because of the accident, people are in need. It does not matter who the person is. If you have ever been guilt free from an accident then you can complain. I have lived in houses and apartments. Yes, smoke protectors are very important. I have lived in places where the apartment complex would make yearly checks where they came in, tested and replaced batteries. Other places they would put a note on the door to remind you. I have also lived in a place where the detector would go by just by making toast, so yeah, we pulled the battery out.(still had 2 other detectors in the apartment). Hard working families who lost their homes. So, instead of complaining and placing blame, have a heart and show some compassion.

[Not my fault]

Someone who was there wrote:

I am ashamed of all of you! Accidents happen. This was an accident and because of the accident, people are in need. It does not matter who the person is. If you have ever been guilt free from an accident then you can complain. I have lived in houses and apartments. Yes, smoke protectors are very important. I have lived in places where the apartment complex would make yearly checks where they came in, tested and replaced batteries. Other places they would put a note on the door to remind you. I have also lived in a place where the detector would go by just by making toast, so yeah, we pulled the battery out.(still had 2 other detectors in the apartment). Hard working families who lost their homes. So, instead of complaining and placing blame, have a heart and show some compassion.

Uhh, it's smoke DETECTORS, not 'protectors', dumbo!! And since you admit to pulling out the battery of a smoke detector that was doing its job, you're an idiot too. And these folks put themselves out for public ridicule because of two things: 1) leaving a greasy pan on the stove while the stove was on and leaving the apartment--this CAUSED the fire which has left them homeless and the loss of their possessions (sheer carelessness that also caused damage to their neighbors); and 2) these same folks and their neighbors spouting off to the media while the fire was still underway about old faulty stoves and blaming the management and landlord; hoping to pave the way for a lawsuit and some money! So, no compassion from this taxpaying, law abiding CITIZEN. Merry Christmas!!

[jimi doss]

Concerned wrote:

What would you folks expect from a Sanctuary City which houses tens of thousands of illegal immigrants in substandard poorly maintaned apartments some of which a taxpayer supported Section 8 Housing?

__________
Is Watsonville a sanctuary city ?

[Annonymous]

Stupid!!!! Accidents Happen!!!! Gosh People These Days Don't Have A Heart!

[barbecue]

Leaving the building with a greasy frying pan on an active stove is negligence. A greasy pan slipping and spilling onto the burner while cooking is an accident.

It's not just "Watsonville people" that do this stuff- witness several historic homes in Santa Cruz damaged badly by unattended pots/pans while cooking. The Eben Bennett house on beach hill got toasted pretty bad as did the Thomas Weeks house by Santa Cruz high just in the last few years. In both cases, it was UCSC students who lacking in common sense left the kitchen and came back to a room full of flames.

[David]

Come on folks, if you don't care about your lives, please give a thought to the poor firefighters that will try to save you. First, buy some smoke detectors for each bedroom as well as the hallways. Then make sure that you keep batteries in them. change them on your birthdays and you will celebrate many more.

This may cost you a couple of dollars per year. I just don't get it. Isn't your life or a visiting kid's life worth just a couple of bucks.

someone please explain this to me. no hate stuff, please.

[Watsonville landlord]

If I had a dime for every time I found a smoke alarm in my units gutted of its batteries so a tenant or their child could use them for their hand-held game system or whatever, I could have provided a motel room for all the displaced and whining tenants at this complex. And the Watsonville city council will continue demonizing property ownters for the sake of their anti-capitalist/property owner agenda.

[jimi doss]

WhatEver wrote:

<quoted text>
YES

__________

Thanks I always thought only Santa Cruz was , Just shows ya can learn something new every day :):)

[jimi doss]

Annonymous wrote:

Stupid!!!! Accidents Happen!!!! Gosh People These Days Don't Have A Heart!

__________
Apparently Anonymous , here on these threads there are just a ton of people who prefer to be little and demean others to help themselves feel better .

They tend to make the biggest "noise" here with rudeness and personal attacks on indiviuduals and ethnicitys.I believe its called "negative attention".

Dont be fooled if ya look around you will see many many people here who are not 'jaded" in that way and do actually care about others

[Whatever]

jimi doss wrote:

<quoted text>
__________
Apparently Anonymous , here on these threads there are just a ton of people who prefer to be little and demean others to help themselves feel better .
They tend to make the biggest "noise" here with rudeness and personal attacks on indiviuduals and ethnicitys.I believe its called "negative attention".
Dont be fooled if ya look around you will see many many people here who are not 'jaded" in that way and do actually care about others

hey lil jimi what do you call a guy who posts on Topix incessantly like yourself? I call them an attention wh o re and let's not forget your other multiple personalities you use on Topix to respond your posts just so you can keep 'this conversation' going as if you were insightful or even interesting. Have fun on the innernets lil jimi