By Lookout Staff

April 21, 2022 -- Police officers helped evacuate several tenants, including five children, from a burning apartment unit in the Pico Neighborhood Wednesday night after an officer patrolling the area smelled smoke.

"The officer noticed part of a two-story apartment building was engulfed in flames and learned tenants were still inside," the Police Department wrote on Twitter.

Firefighters attempt to resucue cat (Photo courtesy SMFD)

Within minutes, assisting officers responded to the two-story apartment building on the 1900 block of 20th Street and helped evacuate the tenants while firefighters rushed to the scene, police said.

The Fire Department's first Engine Company arrived 5 minutes and 46 seconds after initial reports indicated "occupants were possibly still inside," said Captain Patrick Nulty, the Fire Department spokesman.

Crews performed "an aggressive fire attack and search of the units, he said. No human victims were located, however, four cats were rescued from the fire unit.

"Life saving measures were performed on the cats utilizing 'pet oxygen masks' which are carried on all Santa Monica Fire apparatus," Nulty said.

"Two of the cats were successfully resuscitated," he said. "Unfortunately, the other two cats perished in the fire."

The fire was contained to one unit, and the displaced occupants were assisted by the Red Cross.

The fire took place less than two days after a blaze broke out in another two-story apartment building three blocks away ("Firefighters Extinguish Blaze in Pico Neighborhood Apartment," April 19, 2022).

Santa Monica Fire investigators determined both fires were caused accidentally, Nulty said.

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