Rochester Apartment Fire Started By Child
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) – A child playing with a lighter is being blamed for a fire in a Rochester apartment building Saturday evening.
A statement from the Rochester Fire Department indicates Rochester Police were at The Gates of Rochester apartment complex at 2015 41st Street Northwest shortly before 8 PM on an unrelated call when a fire alarm in another apartment unit was reported to the officers. They spotted smoke coming from the residence and immediately requested the fire department’s response. The first firefighters at the scene found fire and smoke in the second floor of the unit and were told by a neighbor that a child had been seen earlier in the second-floor window.
The fire crews were able to quickly knock down the flames to allow for a search and it was soon learned the child had safely evacuated with his family. After the fire was completely extinguished, it was determined the apartment had sustained heavy fire and smoke damage on the second floor and smoke damage on the first level.
The fire department release says there were no injuries and the property management was able to place the family in a nearby vacant apartment. The Red Cross is indicating the fire displaced a family of four adults and three children.
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