Careless Smoking Blamed For Area Fire That Injured 4, Displaced 19

A fire in a Pasadena fourplex that injured four people, displaced 19 and caused about $550,000 damage was caused by careless smoking, a fire department spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Firefighters were sent to the two-story building in the 200 block of Penn Street at 2:30 a.m. Monday, Lisa Derderian of the Pasadena Fire Department said.

"The cause of the fire ... (was) determined to be careless discarded smoking material onto an older couch positioned on an exterior balcony," Derderian said.

Four people suffered minor injuries jumping from a second-floor unit of the building and were taken to a hospital for treatment, Derderian said.

"They could not exit (via) the stairwell due to heavy smoke and flames," Derderian said.

All four units sustained smoke damage and at least two sustained fire damage, Derderian said. Nineteen residents -- including two infants -- were displaced and in need of assistance by the American Red Cross, she said.

Damage was estimated at $400,000 to the structure and $150,000 to the contents, she said.