Early morning blaze damages Santa Cruz storage complex

An early morning fire Tuesday caused thousands of dollars in damages to a Santa Cruz storage facility, fire officials said.

Santa Cruz firefighters were dispatched to a storage complex at 210 Benito just before 3 a.m. for reports of heavy smoke coming from the roof and vents. Firefighters found heavy smoke and fire coming from the second story of one of the buildings. The complex consisted of five two-story buildings with 24 units in each.

Authorities determined the fire was coming from one of the middle buildings, and flames were engulfing the entire hallway and several units. Crews were eventually able to extinguish the fire, though the second story sustained extensive damage. The first floor sustained minor damages.

The cause of the fire was determined to be discarded smoking materials left in the hallway. The damages were estimated at $75,0000. No injuries were reported.