A single-story multi-family apartment house was damaged in a 3:14 a.m. Sunday fire in the 700 block of Reed Street.
Firefighters were called to the address after a passerby saw a small fire on the exterior wall of the apartment and called 911, said Capt. Mike Wilson, Columbus Fire Department spokesman.
Dillon Stador told fire investigators he was was walking by the apartment when he saw flames on an exterior wall of an enclosed porch. Stador said that the flames were located near where the exterior wall met the interior floor, and were burning approximately 1 foot high. Stador stated that he attempted to put out the flames with his sweatshirt, but abandoned that action to go alert any occupants who were in the apartments.
When firefighters arrived, they heard an audible smoke alarm sounding in the vacant apartment at 740 Reed St. Firefighters entered the unit to find smoke throughout, Wilson said.
Firefighters discovered signs of fire near a flooring baseboard, which prompted crews to access the homes crawl space. It was in the crawl space where firefighters found the fire.
Firefighters created an additional access point to the fire by cutting a hole in the floor of 740 Reed St. With the additional access firefighters confirmed there fire suppression was successful and the fire was put out.
Corixa Lazaro, who lives at the 1245 8th St unit, said that she could hear the smoke alarm sounding when Dillon Stador came to her door. Lazaro and three others evacuated their apartment without injury. The third unit, 1249 8th St., was also vacant. Smoke was present in Lazaro’s apartment and the 1249 8th St. apartment. Fire damages were contained to the 740 Reed St. unit.
Lazaro will be temporarily displaced due to the damages to the home’s water service utility. The Salvation Army is providing assistance to Lazaro. No injuries were reported at the scene.
Investigators determined the fire originated within the crawl space. The cause of the fire is undetermined.
For more on this story, see Monday’s Republic.
