Fire damages Libby apartment
Mother and baby escape unharmed
by Duane Williams, KLCB-KTNY Radio
November 13, 2013
Tuesday, at 6:45PM, November 12, Libby Volunteer Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire with flames showing at Park Apartments.
The first engine with initial attack crew was on scene in three minutes.
The fire originated in a basement level apartment occupied by a young woman and her baby girl. Quick response by Lincoln County Sheriff’s office, Libby Police units and residents initiated evacuation of all residents in the complex. The complex was equipped with single station smoke detectors throughout, but no sprinkler system was required in the structure at the time it was built and was not in place.
Two engines, one ladder truck, and 1 command unit responded to the scene. Firefighters conducted an offensive fire attack and contained the fire to the kitchen area of the unit.
The fire was an accidental fire caused by unattended cooking using cooking oil on a stove top.
Occupants in the unit attempted to utilize a portable extinguisher that was provided in the common corridor of the unit to extinguish the fire, but were unsuccessful in the attempt.
Libby Volunteer Ambulance responded to the scene to evaluate a couple of the occupants and did transport one patient to St. Johns hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. All occupants were allowed back into their apartments, with the exception of the unit were the fire originated.
Damage to the structure is estimated to be around $15,000 to the single unit of the 17-unit complex.
___________________________________________
By Duane Williams, KLCB-KTNY Radio, e-mail: klcb@frontiernet.net, www.klcb-ktny.com.
|
