UPDATE: 15 Merced residents displaced in ‘suspicious’ fire

Fifteen people were forced out of their homes and one man suffered minor injuries Wednesday in a south Merced apartment fire that investigators are now saying appears suspicious.

Billy Alcorn, battalion chief for the Merced Fire Department, said 10 adults and five children were sheltered by the American Red Cross after fire gutted one apartment Wednesday and damaged another in the 300 block of West 11th Street. Four units were affected by the fire.

“The other two in (the quadplex) were not damaged, but their utilities were shut off so they had to be moved out,” Alcorn said.

The resident, Enrique Vera, 67, who suffered smoke inhalation, was treated and released from an area hospital, firefighters confirmed.

Firefighters initially said they did not believe the fire was suspicious, but that changed after additional investigation. Firefighters, however, have not commented on what they think may have sparked the flames.

Flames broke out just after 4 p.m. in the living room of one the units. Sixteen firefighters responded to the call and took about 20 minutes to extinguish the fire.

A damage estimate has not been released, but firefighters said the unit where the fire started is believed to be a total loss.

Alcorn said firefighters have issued three $100 gift cards to some of the displaced residents as part of the Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency program, or SAVE, an effort between city firefighters and the nonprofit California Fire Foundation.

This story was originally published December 11, 2014 at 11:11 AM with the headline "UPDATE: 15 Merced residents displaced in ‘suspicious’ fire."