Residents in eight units were displaced from their homes at the Prospect Villa apartment complex in Hollister on Wednesday morning due to water damage caused by a broken fire sprinkler.
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The incident happened shortly before 10 a.m. Wednesday at the apartment complex on Prospect Avenue near Rancho San Justo School in Hollister. The Hollister Fire Department received a report of an unconfirmed structure fire, but arrived to find out a water flow alarm had been going off. That’s because a fire sprinkler in an attic on the second floor had been running for unknown reasons, Battalion Chief Charlie Bedolla told San Benito Live.
Bedolla said an on-duty maintenance person was in the attic and witnessed the water flowing with the alarm sounding, and secured the line to stop the flow.
Bedolla said the eight apartment units sustained “heavy water damage,” while coordination had been under way to find temporary housing for the displaced residents. There will need to be repairs related to water, electrical and sheet rock damage, he said.
“Until then, the complex is working with the displaced tenants to find them some housing,” he said.
