ISLA VISTA - There are few places on the Central Coast as densely populated as Isla Vista and apartment fires in the college town have proven to be deadly over the years.
Fortunately no one was hurt in this fire early Sunday morning at the three story St. George apartment building on the 6500 block of Trigo Road in Isla Vista.
Dozens of students awoke to knocks on the door and shouts to get out of the building.
Investigators say the building's sprinkler system knocked out the fire they believe was intentionally set.
"I don't feel too comfortable in my own home", says student Anthony Perri who was among dozens forced to evacuate because of the fire, "I don't know man, what am I supposed to do, I'm not going to freak out about it."
"The guy needs to be caught, he could have really hurt somebody", says building owner Edward St. George, "if this was a non-sprinkler building, if this didn't have a suppression system in it, people sleeping as hearty as they were, somebody could have gotten really seriously hurt if not killed."
Street level offices in the mixed-use building had water damage, none of the residential units on were damaged.
St. George says he plans to add additional security measures to the building.
Dating back to November of last year, there have been arson attacks at the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department substation in Isla Vista and equipment and vehicles set on fire at a large construction site.
Its unknown if the incidents are linked in anyway.
