The early-morning fire destroyed a detached carport but stopped short of nearby homes, leaving no reported injuries or displaced residents.
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Firefighters contained a large carport fire at a San Jose residential complex early Friday after 24 vehicles were damaged, preventing the flames from spreading into nearby homes and avoiding any reported injuries or displacement.
Crews were sent at about 2:01 a.m. Oct. 23 to the 200 block of Shadow Run Drive after a vehicle fire was reported at the New Horizon condominium complex. Firefighters arrived to find multiple vehicles and a detached carport burning, prompting an expanded response as crews worked to stop the fire from spreading through the residential area.
The San Jose Fire Department said the carport was destroyed and more than 20 vehicles sustained varying degrees of damage. KTVU reported a total of 24 affected vehicles. Some were heavily burned, while others were damaged by the heat generated as the fire moved through the covered parking area.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control at about 3:03 a.m., roughly an hour after the first call. Officials said the flames did not extend into nearby residential structures. No injuries were reported, and residents did not have to leave their homes because of fire damage.
Residents described being awakened by the emergency. Some reported hearing several loud booms while the carport burned, and images from the scene showed a row of heavily damaged vehicles beneath the remains of the parking structure. Firefighters remained focused on containing the blaze to the vehicle and carport area.
The fire affected vehicles on more than one side of the parking area. San Jose Fire Battalion Chief Robert Herrera said damage was concentrated around vehicle storage areas between residential complexes and that some cars on the opposite side of a fence were also affected. The extent of damage differed from vehicle to vehicle.
For residents whose cars were damaged or destroyed, the fire left a significant loss even though the surrounding homes were spared. Officials had not released a dollar estimate for the damage as of Saturday, and no comprehensive breakdown of how many vehicles were total losses had been announced.
The reason the fire started also remained unresolved. The Fire Department’s arson unit is examining the origin and cause, but officials have not said the fire was intentionally set. No arrests have been announced, and investigators have not publicly identified a particular vehicle, charging system or other source as responsible.
Fire officials said electric vehicles damaged at the scene were not located near the suspected ignition area and that no electric vehicles were charging at the time. There were also no charging stations at the scene. Those findings have not resulted in a publicly announced cause.
The investigation remained active Saturday, with the central questions focused on where the fire began and what ignited it. The confirmed outcome was clearer: a carport and 24 vehicles were damaged, while firefighters prevented the blaze from reaching occupied homes and no one was reported hurt.
Author note: Last updated October 24, 2026.