Two women hurt in Fresno apartment fire

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Two women were injured when fire destroyed an apartment in southeast Fresno, and heavily damaged another unit.

The early afternoon fire in the 300 block of South Deering, near Huntington, erupted suddenly. Neighbor Santos Espinosa told us what he saw.

"I looked up to the right, and it was like big old flames, like a fireball, and I could just feel the heat you know. "

The apartment where the fire started was destroyed. Two women who lived there were hurt. Fresno Fire Battalion Chief Ron Stogdell says;

"One had burns over 30 to 40 percent of her body, the other suffered smoke inhalation. "

Five people in the adjacent apartment got out safely, but Stogdell said the entire second floor of the building is uninhabitable.

"There was extensive fire damage no way anyone will be able to occupy it for some time."

Five residents will be moved to a nearby vacant apartment.

The fire came as a real test for firefighters who've been battling flames in the more than one hundred degree heat, but none were injured fighting this fire.

The injured women's injuries were described as minor to moderate. One sustained first and second degree burns to her body.