Overloaded extension cord sparks apartment fire

An overloaded extension cord at a Rodeo apartment may have caused a fire there on Friday morning, a fire official said.

Firefighters responded to a report of a structure fire in the 100 block of California Street around 9:50 a.m. Friday, Pinole fire Battalion Chief Steve Akre said.

Arriving crews found heavy smoke from the second floor of a two-story apartment building with six units, Akre said.

The blaze was confined to the second floor of the involved apartment, he said.

The blaze had threatened adjacent apartments that did not sustain damage, according to Akre.

A father and his 2-year-old son had been sleeping in an upstairs bedroom and woke up when they heard activated smoke detectors, Akre said.

The father found the blaze in an adjoining bedroom and evacuated the residence with his son and dog before calling 911, the battalion chief said.

The residents of the involved apartment were displaced and received assistance from the American Red Cross and Contra Costa County Housing Authority. No injuries were reported.

The fire caused an estimated $25,000 in damage, Akre said.