SPPD Sgt., VCSD Sgt. being
hailed as heroes for fire rescues
February 18, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
A longtime Santa Paula Police officer and a Ventura County Sheriff’s deputy are being hailed as heroes after they helped four people escape from a second story fire early Thursday morning.
According to SPPD Sgt. Jimmy Fogata it was just luck that he happened to blast past VCSD Sgt. Kevin Vaden, who followed him to the scene of the fire.
More than a dozen people were displaced after the fast-moving fire damaged four units in the 100 block of Ventura Street at the Lobero condominium complex.
The blaze was reported about 2:20 a.m. at a two-story building, a scene that Fogata said was chaotic when he and Vaden arrived after Fogata smelled smoke while patrolling Harvard Boulevard south of the fire scene.
“I was driving down Harvard Boulevard and,” when he smelled smoke in the vicinity of Jonesy’s Liquor, located in the 100 block.
Fogata said he called dispatch and reported the odor: “I thought it was a dumpster fire and started checking the area,” when dispatch broadcast a report of a structure fire at the Lobero condos.
As Fogata raced to the scene a Ventura County Sheriff’s Patrol unit in the area - driven by Vaden -followed and when they arrived Fogata said the unit was “fully involved in flames... people were running around screaming fire,” and the “smoke was so thick I couldn’t see in front of me...
“We couldn’t get to the back so we went to the front and fire was shooting out of the windows,” where four people - two adults and two older children - were trapped in the second story unit.
The first-floor patio fencing was on fire, “The fire had flashed over the eves, the front doors were on fire and the stairway was on fire,” and those trapped could not access the balcony because flames were consuming the landing.
Those trapped were told they had to jump: Fogata and Vaden “Were telling them to get out a window and that we would break their fall as much as we could... we told them to grab the tree and swing themselves out from the burning building and then drop down,” into the arms of the officers.
In the meantime, Fogata said SPPD Officers Dan Gosselin and Thomas Ip “Had evacuated the whole complex,” as Santa Paula Fire and mutual aid engine companies arrived on scene.
According to SPFD PIO Andy VanSciver, the fire originated in a bottom unit - the residents were away at the time - and had spread to three adjacent condominiums by the time firefighting personnel from the County of Ventura Fire, Ventura City Fire and Fillmore Fire departments arrived.
The woman who jumped from second story window had a broken ankle and was treated on scene before being transported to Santa Paula Hospital.
VanSciver said the blaze - which was knocked down about 3:05 a.m. -heavily damaged three units; a fourth received minor damage that altogether totaled about $200,000.
The damaged units were boarded up and the American Red Cross was notified of the displaced people, authorities said.
VanSciver said the building did not have a sprinkler system and the units did not appear to have working smoke detectors.
The fire is being investigated as arson.
Fogata said although he had seen Vaden “around” the fire scene was the first time he met the VCSD sergeant.
“I hate to think,” said Fogata, “what might have happened if we hadn’t been there... “
