Multiple people displaced after fire damages duplex in Merced, fire officials say

A fire damaged a duplex on Monday, displacing several people, according to the Merced Fire Department.

Firefighters responded at 11:11 a.m. to a call of smoke and fire coming from an apartment unit in the 1000 block of K Street, according to Merced Fire Chief Derek Parker.

Crews arrived on scene to find heavy smoke and fire coming from the small unit. That section of the building had been boarded up.

According to Parker, the unit may have been occupied by a squatter. Fire officials said a city worker in the area who reported the fire noticed a person exit the unit prior to firefighters arriving on scene.

About 15 fire personnel responded as well as Merced police officers who took a report regarding the person of interest, according to Parker.

Firefighters were able to quickly knock down the fire and gain control, preventing the blaze from spreading to adjacent units.

No injuries were reported to civilians or firefighters and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Parker said the fire caused an estimated $75,000 in damage to the structure.

Two adults and three children were displaced from an adjacent unit due to water and smoke damage. The American Red Cross is assisting those displaced.