Just after 1 pm on October 30th, Metro Fire crews responding to an apartment fire at 1251 Fulton Avenue in the Arden area found heavy black smoke coming from a second story apartment. The fire, which had started in a bathroom, had already spread to the attic and an adjoining apartment.

Bystanders reported multiple victims, so three additional medic units were requested while firefighters initiated fire attack and began searching for victims. Crews searched and evacuated the involved units, ventilated the structure, and kept the fire from spreading to other units. One female victim was located and transported to the hospital with moderate injuries; there were no other victims from the fire.

A coordinated fire attack allowed firefighters to contain the fire to the two upstairs units. Two additional apartments sustained smoke damage, while four more sustained water damage. Six engines, three trucks, and four medics were involved in caring for the injured resident, extinguishing the fire, protecting the adjacent units, and saving residents’ personal belongings.  The residents of all eight units will be displaced; Red Cross was requested to assist them. No firefighters were injured in the fire. Updated damage estimate is $75,000, with the cause of the fire still under investigation.

Our hearts go out to the resident injured in this fire, and to all the families displaced. Please take a few extra steps to lower the risk of fire hurting your family or destroying your home: test your smoke alarms, keep space heaters at least three feet from anything combustible, use flameless candles whenever possible, and always dispose of your fireplace ashes in a metal container.