Built to Burn: Gabriel Jarret, Actor, on the Fire That Exposed California’s Most Dangerous Loophole

Gabriel Jarret, Actor, didn’t expect to jump for his life that night. But when fire surged into his Santa Monica apartment—fueled by overloaded wiring and trapped by outdated construction—there was no other option.

“The foyer was full of smoke. The power was surging. There were explosions. And there was no second exit,” Jarret says. “So I jumped. From the second floor. Onto bare concrete. That’s how I survived.”

This wasn’t just a tragic event. It was a predictable failure of policy, infrastructure, and accountability. And it’s happening in cities all across California—because the law allows it.

Aging Buildings, Ancient Wiring, and Renters Left in the Dark

Thousands of apartment buildings in Southern California—including much of Santa Monica—were built in the late 1940s and early 1950s. They were constructed for a different world: fewer appliances, lower electrical demand, no consideration for modern safety standards.

And here’s the disturbing truth: many of these buildings have never been updated.

“My building hadn’t been rewired in almost 80 years,” Jarret says. “That’s not rare—it’s typical.”

Original outlets. Cloth-wrapped wiring. Faulty Fuse boxes. No arc fault protection. Maybe 2 grounded outlet in the whole apartment—if you're lucky.

These systems weren’t designed for today’s devices. Yet renters plug in heaters, TVs, laptops, air conditioners, and more—because they have to. Until the system fails. And it will fail.

When Everything Depends on One Outlet

The fire in Jarret’s unit started when an overloaded circuit gave out. He, like many renters, plugged everything into one of the only available grounded outlets —because it was one of the few that was safe..

“Everything was funneled into these two circuits—my heater, my electronics, my lights. It was either do that or use two-prong outlets with no grounding.”

I unplugged most everything that I could that was not in use and just got used to the fact that I couldn’t run the microwave and the vacuum at the same time or the breaker would trip. Which happened all the time, until the one day, it didn’t.

“And then it was fire. Smoke. Power surging. Scooters exploded. Alarms that went off only after the acrid OK, smoke and flames had breached into the foyer. The speed in which this thing spread was unbelievable.” You hear people talk about fires and how everything happens so fast… This is no exaggeration.”

No Fire Escape. No Sprinklers. No Exit.

The building was never retrofitted for modern safety standards. That meant:

• No secondary means of egress

• No fire escape or ladder

• No sprinkler system

• No upgraded electrical panel

• No emergency lighting

Only one way out: the front stairwell. And it was already fully involved..

“There was no system to save us,” Jarret says. “There was just gravity. So I jumped.”

The System Is Rigged—Against Renters

In California, tenants are not permitted to hire an electrician to inspect or repair their unit’s wiring, even if they know it’s unsafe and are willing to pay.

Only building owners have that legal authority. And most won’t act—especially if the system still “technically works.”

“We saw the signs,” Jarret says. “We begged the landlord to do something. But we’re just renters. We don’t get to make that call.”

It’s a trap: tenants are forbidden from protecting themselves, and owners are not required by law to do anything unless the building is being sold or heavily remodeled.

According to the Law, This Is Fine

James Brewster of Santa Monica Building and Safety confirms that under state law, owners are not obligated to upgrade a building’s infrastructure unless:

• The building is changing ownership, or

• Undergoing major permitted construction

This means an apartment built in 1948 with its original wiring, no sprinklers, and no grounded outlets can still be legally rented in 2025.

“The building didn’t break the law,” Jarret says. “But the law itself is broken.”

The First Inspection Is the Fire

There was no electrical inspection of Jarret’s building prior to the fire. No mandated safety review. No plan for emergency exit. No fire drill. No accountability.

“ barring any sale, remodel or minor indication of a problem, the first you will know that there is one is the fire itself” literally a property is allowed to age, degrade and decompose until it ignites…”

It’s Not Just One Building—It’s a Crisis

What happened to Jarret could happen in any number of aging buildings across Los Angeles County. From Santa Monica to Sherman Oaks, renters are living in apartments that look fine on the surface but hide catastrophic risk inside the walls. Especially those properties popularized in the 50s as multi unit apartment. Buildings built on plots of land originally zoned for single family homes. The ones ironically but appropriately named dingbats.

“People are sleeping 10 feet from wiring that should’ve been replaced decades ago,” Jarret warns. “They’re trusting a system that doesn’t even require a second exit.”

A Blueprint for Real Change

Jarret is now actively working with tenant rights groups and fire safety advocates to push for urgent changes in California law. His policy goals are direct and necessary:

1. Mandatory Electrical Inspections

All multi-unit buildings over 30 years old should require electrical system evaluations every 10 years, regardless of sale or renovation.

2. Retroactive Fire Safety Standards

Buildings must have a secondary exit, operational smoke alarms, and working fire suppression systems—even if built before such things were required.

3. Legal Empowerment for Renters

Tenants should have the legal right to initiate licensed electrical inspections and emergency repairs when safety is at risk and landlords refuse.

4. Funding for Upgrades

Offer incentives, grants, or low-interest loans to owners who commit to bringing their properties up to code without displacing tenants.

Rebuilding Is Not Enough

Jarret has since relocated himself to a safer home—one with modern wiring, grounded circuits, and proper exits. But he knows most renters don’t have that option.

“I’m one of the lucky ones. But there are families, seniors, and kids still living in these death traps—and they don’t even know it.”

The Message: Don’t Wait Until It’s You

Every time Jarret tells his story, he’s reminded that his survival came down to seconds—and a window. He’s not sharing this to be dramatic. He’s sharing it because it’s real. “ The owners” (listed as Triple K properties LLC) didn’t try to kill me. They just didn’t care if I died. That’s what needs to change.”