Firefighters rescue seniors from burning apartment building near Waynesburg
SANDY TWP. ‒ A fire at a public housing complex for seniors could have resulted in multiple deaths if local firefighters had not worked so well together to rescue residents and extinguish the blaze.
That's the assessment of the fire chief who led the response to the early-morning blaze.
"It could have been a mass casualty incident," Mohawk Valley Fire Chief James Marraccini said about a fire that occurred early Tuesday at Indian Run Manor, a complex owned by the Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority at 7785 Mottice Drive SE.
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"We had a total of 59 personnel on scene within minutes," he wrote on the Facebook page of the Mohawk Valley Joint Fire District.
The responding departments brought six engines, four tankers, two rescue vehicles, a ladder truck, a utility vehicle, four ambulances and 10 fire chiefs.
What happened at Indian Run Manor apartment complex?
Firefighters were called to the site at 3:30 a.m. An engine crew was on the scene by 3:32 a.m.
They arrived to find 11 residents, some using walkers and wheelchairs, already outside. The remaining 16 residents were evacuated by firefighters working in two teams. One was led by Sandy Creek Fire Chief Aaron Stoller, and the other by Carrollton Fire Chief Shane Thomas. Each chief led their own department and two others.
They got all the residents out of the building in about 22 minutes, Marracini said. They were taken to the Mohawk Valley fire station about 150 away, where the American Red Cross gave them refreshments.
While six departments evacuated the building, the other firefighters focused on extinguishing the fire, which was under control by 4:49 a.m. Crews remained on scene until nearly 10 a.m.
Marraccini said preparation for a fire at Indian Run Manor was in place before anything went wrong.
"It's one of those types of fires that we plan and plan and plan for. We the dread the day it ever comes," Marraccini said."
"Everyone worked so well together. We worked in a very cohesive operational group that, they all knew what needed to be done and they all performed their job exceptionally."
The chief said the fire was not intentionally set. It started in one apartment and spread to an office, foyer, roof, hall and attic. There was smoke damage throughout the building. Some areas had water damage.
The Division of State Fire Marshal was investigating the cause on Wednesday.
Marrraccini said 24 of the building's 25 apartments were occupied at the time of the fire.
Marraccini said two residents were taken to a hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and one firefighter was treated on scene for minor injuries.
What's next for Indian Run Manor residents?
The building was not habitable after the fire. The American Red Cross and SMHA provided shelter for displaced residents, Marraccini said. A SARTA bus transported residents to Canton.
SMHA Executive Director Denita Johnson said residents are staying in hotels. She said the agency is responsible for making sure they continue to have shelter.
She said the building will be repaired, but it is too soon to say when it will be ready for occupancy.
The Stark County Auditor's Office lists the appraised value of the building at $691,500.
Marraccini estimated the value of the damage done by the fire to be a six-digit figure.
In addition to Mohawk Valley, firefighters came from the Magnolia, Mineral City, Sandy Creek, Osnaburg Township, Carrollton, Great Trail, Canton Township, East Sparta and Marathon Petroleum fire departments. The Quad Ambulance District and Tri-Division EMS were on scene, as was the Stark County Emergency Management Agency responded. A group comprising all Stark County fire chiefs was initially called, but most were sent back before arrival, Marraccini said.
Reach Nancy at 330-580-8382 or nancy.molnar@cantonrep.com.
On X, formerly known as Twitter: @nmolnarTR
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Indian Run Manor fire displaces 27 residents
