It appears the fire started in one of the two units on the second floor. The flames broke out during the hottest part of the day, taking a toll on firefighters.
The hot weather prompted the fire department to call in extra crews to the scene.
The fire broke out in the very back of the property, right above Fikirte Kebede's unit where she lived with her husband, two kids and her parents for four years.
"We heard noise and someone said, help, help, help. So, we just opened the window and then somebody said fire, fire, fire," she said.
"When we're wearing our full gear, bottles; it's warm enough as it is. With it being over 100 degrees this afternoon it really takes it out of you, so we bring in a lot of personnel so we can rotate people quickly so we don't get our own people injured or just wiped out from trying to fight the fire," a San Jose firefighter said.
"I'm okay, I'm okay. God knows. The good thing is everyone is safe," Kebede said.