On Aug. 29, multiple cars caught on fire in the parking garage at American River College. 

The campus RAVE system sent out an emergency alert notifying students, faculty and staff of a car fire on the second floor of the parking garage. Another alert was sent out later in the day with an update that the fire was extinguished, but the parking garage would remain closed for clean-up.

According to Scott Crow, ARC’s public information officer, three cars were affected by the fire and it is unclear how the fire started. Crow also said that there were no reported injuries. 

There was another person in a car near the fire but they were able to drive off and suffered no injuries, according to Crow. 

According to Brenda Baker, a groundskeeper at ARC, a student notified an irrigation tech employee who was working nearby. That employee then used the blue emergency phone on campus to notify the campus police. 

“I arrived shortly after, before the fire department, and kept students from entering the garage,” Baker said in a text message to the Current. “Four other groundskeepers also helped with crowd control until the situation was resolved.” 

The eyewitness report of what happened differs from ARC’s account. Baker says that four cars were damaged and that the fire department said the fire started with the engine of one of the cars.  

Crow says that the parking garage was temporarily closed, but is now back open. 

“The garage was open for business this morning. There are a few spaces that are blocked off as they need to complete clean-up,” Crow said. 

Crow says ARC is grateful for the response from Metro Fire Sacramento. 

“We are sorry to the people affected and are thankful for [Metro Fire’s] quick work and response,” Crow said.