Firefighters battle two-alarm Fresno apartment blaze as busy weekend continues

Four families were displaced in a two-alarm fire that roared through a large apartment complex Sunday morning in east-central Fresno, the Fire Department reported.

It follows a fire Saturday night in central Fresno that displaced 30 residents of a seven-unit complex and continues a busy weekend.

Firefighters were sent to North Maple and East McKinley avenues at 9:18 a.m., after a column of black smoke erupted from the Sunset Sands complex. Fire spokeswoman Christine Wilson said arriving firefighters quickly called for a second alarm, as flames tore through the roof of units in the central portion of the complex.

Four units were heavily damaged by flames and two others were damaged by water and smoke.

Displaced families will be assisted by the Red Cross, Wilson said. Firefighters were able to rescue four cats.

Investigators remained at the scene looking for a cause of the latest blaze, and westbound traffic on McKinley from Maple was blocked by fire trucks.