Nearly 80 people displaced after flooding damages senior home in Placerville

By Yosi Yahoudai
Founder and Managing Partner

Officials said some people were taken to Placerville town hall to stay over the night. No injuries were reported.

PLACERVILLE, Calif. — About 80 residents were displaced after flooding caused damage to the first and second floors of the Cottonwood Senior Apartments in Placerville.

The site is an independent senior living facility with a mix of 81 one- and two-bedroom units. It is operated by AWI Management Corporation, which is headquartered in Auburn and offers housing in California, Arizona and Hawaii.

A spokesperson for the El Dorado County Fire Protection District said crews initially responded around 7 p.m. Saturday for a fire alarm. However, crews arrived to find significant flooding on the second floor instead of fire. Officials said some of the first-floor apartments were also damaged.

Placerville Police Chief Joseph Wren told ABC10 that the damage came from a break in the waterline sprinkler system. 

Crews secured the water to keep the damage from worsening and started getting water out of the building. 

A fire district spokesperson said about 25 people were impacted by the evacuations Saturday night and moved to the Placerville town hall. On Sunday, officials the remaining residents were evacuated, nearly 80 people, from the building. 

Chief Wren said the building was deemed unsafe to occupy due to the break. City staff will do more inspections at the property Monday. 

“Because the building was unsafe to occupy it, displaced those persons living there. The property management company was advised that they had the responsibility to provide adequate temporary housing for those displaced,” Chief Wren told ABC10. “The City worked with the property management company to ensure that all persons who were displaced were placed in a safe environment, either at a local hotel or with family members.”

A timeline for when residents might move back in is unclear at this time.

No injuries were reported.

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About the Author

Yosi Yahoudai is a founder and the managing partner of J&Y. His practice is comprised primarily of cases involving automobile and motorcycle accidents, but he also represents people in premises liability lawsuits, including suits alleging dangerous conditions of public property, third-party criminal conduct, and intentional torts. He also has expertise in cases involving product defects, dog bites, elder abuse, and sexual assault. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California and is admitted to practice in all California State Courts, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. If you have any questions about this article, you can contact Yosi by clicking here.