Firefighters Rescue Woman From Burning Apartment

Santa Barbara firefighters rescued an unconscious woman from a burning apartment building early Sunday morning from a fire investigators believe was started by “careless smoking”. When firefighters responded just after 3:30 a.m. Sunday, they had to force entry into the apartment at 4202 Calle Real, where they found a woman on her bed. She was rescued and taken to Cottage Hospital. The apartment complex had fire alarms and sprinklers, which kept the fire from spreading beyond the apartment and “undoubtedly saved the resident’s life,” said John Ahlman, a spokesman for the department. Four nearby apartments did suffer severe water damage, however.