As firefighters responded to the scene, Bartholomew County 911 dispatchers advised firefighters that Four Seasons staff had discovered a water heater on fire within a utility closet, said Capt. Mike Wilson, Columbus Fire Department spokesman.
When the first arriving fire apparatus arrived on the scene, the engine company reported to additional responding units that an evacuation of the building was in progress and smoke was visible within the interior of the building. When firefighters entered the building, they found smoke had accumulated approximately 3 feet below the ceiling. Four Seasons’ staff advised firefighters on the location of the utility closet and reported that the closet door was closed. When firefighter opened the closet, they found the entire 4×8 room filled with smoke but did not see any active flames, Wilson said. Using a thermal imaging camera, firefighters viewed flames emitting from the water heater’s control panel cover. After removing the control panel cover, firefighters quickly extinguished a small fire using two pressurized water can fire extinguishers.
Four Seasons Retirement Center staff told firefighters that staff were first alerted when the retirement center’s fire alarm system activated. The facilities’ environmental services personnel said that the alarm panel identified the presence of smoke within one of the residential hallways. When staff went to investigate the alarm, they found smoke in the area of the activated alarm. The staff then worked to alert all residents and ensure that the residents were evacuated away from the smoke filled hallway. As residents were being moved, environmental services staff disconnected the power to the water heater unit and ensured the all fire doors were properly closed, Wilson said.
The fire was isolated to the water heater and did not cause damage to the building. Columbus Firefighters and Four Seasons Environmental Services worked together to ventilate the hallway smoke. Once the smoke was removed, firefighters conducted air monitoring to ensure that no harmful gases remained within the living space of the residents. The cause of the fire is currently undetermined but firefighters believe the fire was electrical in nature. No injuries were reported during the incident. Agencies that assisted at the scene include the Columbus Police Department, Columbus Townships Fire and Rescue, Duke Energy and Center Point Energy.
