SELMA -- Firefighters from Selma, Kingsburg, Fresno County and Tulare County battled a blaze on Wednesday evening at a set of apartments on Mountain View Avenue and Golden State Boulevard. Several dozen low-income residents were left without a home as a result of the blaze. On Thursday, Red Cross voluteers worked to help more than 40 displaced residents obtain food and shelter.

According to Sgt. Eric Broughton with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department, eyewitness statements indicate that someone set a mattress on fire behind the structure while attempting to flee from authorities by dropping a marijuana cigarette.

The brick structure, previously a motel, also caught fire in the incident.

At the scene, brown smoke could be seen coming from inside two apartments in the building. The roof was also on fire and white smoke could be seen behind the apartments.

Soon enough, the fire spread from the roof to the front of the structure, engulfing various outdoor items including a barbecue.

Meanwhile, residents of the apartment complex watched the scene unfold. Some were crying and many had looks of shock and disbelief.

Because of the fire’s magnitude, fire officials were not immediately available for comment or assessments on the monetary damage to the structure.

Seven fire engines were actively involved in battling the blaze Wednesday evening. The Selma and Kingsburg engines were initially requested because the county fire department was on other calls.

But according to Broughton, officials with the sheriff’s department were originally at the scene around 4:30 p.m. -- just before the fire started -- to serve a warrant to the fleeing suspect.

While Broughton said he could not release the name of the suspect, an eyewitness at the scene -- who declined to give his name -- said the suspect is a man named Henry Nieto.

Eyewitnesses also told Broughton that Nieto was smoking a marijuana cigarette with friends in one of the apartments at the time the first deputy arrived.

As they fled, Nieto discarded his cigarette onto a mattress that was located behind the complex, according to eyewitness accounts given to Broughton.

As officials were searching for Nieto, one deputy noticed smoke coming from behind the structure. Because of that, the deputies had to change their focus from apprehending Nieto to fighting the fire and helping residents vacate their apartments, Broughton said.

Nieto was not apprehended and remains at large. Anyone with information which would help track down Nieto is urged to contact the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department at 488-3111.

At the scene of the fire Wednesday, Paul Garnica was flanked by his son, 10-year-old Xavier Chavez.

Both of them lived with Garnica’s mother in the rightmost apartment, the part of the structure that was completely engulfed by the fire.

As he watched the smoke and flames, he expressed frustration over law enforcement’s handling of the mattress that caught fire.

“Instead of the police officer pulling the mattress out, he left it there and told everybody to get away from the house,” he said.

Earlier, Broughton said that deputies tried to extinguish and move the mattress but were unsuccessful in their attempts.

Nonetheless, Garnica was in a somber mood as he watched the fire destroy the building.

“We just finally got settled down, now we gotta pick up and see what happens,” he said.

His son Xavier was in a similar mood, noting how many of his possessions were now gone forever.

“My pictures, Grandma’s phone, everything,” he said.

Anyone wishing to donate items can access the Fresno-Madera Counties Red Cross Chapter Web site at www.fresnomaderaredcross.org.