'Know two ways out': Officials encourage safety planning after apartment fire

Apr. 22—A recent apartment building fire is serving as a reminder for families to prepare escape plans in their own homes.

First responders received a call at 1:57 a.m. Sunday for a structure fire at 1307 Francis St. They arrived on scene five minutes later.

Fire inspector Steve Henrichson was investigating the scene on Monday afternoon and said the fire originated on the second floor of the building.

Henrichson said Monday that there were 24 people inside during the fire, and 15 were treated at the scene by EMS. Three people were transferred to Mosaic to be further treated for injuries, and one was known to be in critical condition as of Monday morning, according to fire officials.

Henrichson said nothing out of the ordinary occurred before the fire started.

"It's an apartment building, so they were just people who lived here," Henrichson said. "Some were a couple of friends of people staying over and things like that. But the rest of them all lived here."

The fire developed very quickly. Other first responders on the scene said occupants were jumping out of the second floor of the building to avoid harm.

Henrichson said the building being two stories was a favorable outcome for those who escaped from the second floor. The main reason people jumped out windows was because the floor only had a single hallway, and other exits were obstructed.

"A broken bone's a lot easier to heal than a bad burn," Henrichson said. "It's a matter of, you have to do what you have to do."

Henrichson made it clear that escaping through a second floor window should be a last resort.

This is why he said the fire is a good reminder of what people need to keep in mind to get themselves and their families out safely.

"Always know two ways out (of your living space) ... make sure you have working smoke detectors; smoke detectors will get you out fast," Henrichson said.

Henrichson said they are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the fire, but he said the damage is so extensive that a cause might not be determined.

Residents are currently displaced, but Henrichson said the owner of the property will look to fix the building.

Riley Funk can be reached at riley.funk@newspressnow.com.