An early morning fire at a Fremont apartment complex left one person dead and at least 30 people were displaced, the Fremont Fire Department said on Sunday.

Just before 3 a.m., fire crews were sent to an apartment at 3939 Bidwell Drive, Building 25, which had heavy fire conditions coming from the fourth floor.

Witnesses captured dramatic cellphone footage of two women trapped on a fourth-floor balcony as large flames engulfed their unit. The victims were seen crouching on the edge of the balcony, with flames just inches away from them. Their desperate cries for help could be heard, and the situation grew increasingly dire as the fire raged on.

There were numerous witnesses on the ground, but due to the height of the building—about 30 feet—there was little they could do to assist the women. Firefighters were on their way, but the situation escalated quickly.

Neighbor Dennis Holmes was one of several people who rushed to the scene to help. Armed with a water hose and fire extinguishers, he and others ran up to the fourth floor in an attempt to put out the flames.

"The dark smoke came out after the door opened. It was hard to breathe," Holmes recalled. "One female was running up and down the hall, banging on doors to evacuate people."

While Holmes was spraying water inside the hallway, his 15-year-old daughter, Leila, watched helplessly from the ground as the flames crept closer to the trapped women.

"It was just like, 'Help me, help'," said Leila Holmes. "It was just shock, and I wanted to help."

Meanwhile, another neighbor, Edward Mejia, also observed from below. He described the terrifying moment when the two women tried to climb down the balcony, but only seconds later both fell to the ground.

"They were holding on to the rail on the outside. But then they dropped, and they tried to hang.  That only lasted for a minute because their weight took them down," said Mejia.

Witnesses said the flames spread so rapidly and intensely that the women were forced to climb down the balcony. Both women fell just moments before firefighters arrived with a 35-foot ground ladder. One of the women died at the scene. Due to obstructions in the parking lot, firefighters said the fire truck with the ladder was delayed.

"It is always a reminder to us that seconds count with response times and everything else.  A few seconds either way can change the outcome," said Battalion Chief Greg Biddle with the Fremont Fire Department.

The other woman who survived the fall was rushed to the hospital with critical injuries. Firefighters confirmed that two other adults were injured but are expected to survive.

By 3:40 a.m., the two-alarm fire was under control, with 31 firefighters having responded to the scene alongside seven engines and two trucks.

According to the Fire Department, one person died, and three people were taken to the hospital. One victim was in critical condition, a second was in serious but stable condition, and the third had minor injuries.

The victim in critical condition died from her injuries on Tuesday, authorities said. The following day, the Alameda County Coroner identified the two victims.

"The fire damage is to one unit, but smoke and water damage to the rest of the building," Chief Biddle explained.

All residents in the 30-unit building were displaced because of fire and smoke damage to the building.

Fire investigators and Fremont police are investigating what caused the fire. 

This marks the second fatal fire in Fremont within the past six months. The last deadly blaze occurred in October 2024.