[Press Release] : Firefighters respond to early morning fire in south Columbia apartments

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact: Fire Department - (573) 499-7035 

Firefighters respond to early morning fire in south Columbia
apartments

COLUMBIA, MO (May 31, 2008) - Columbia firefighters were called at 2
a.m. on Saturday, May 31, to 2100 Cherry Hill Drive for a report of a
commercial structure fire. Firefighters arrived to find smoke and some
flames from the roof of the two-story apartment complex on the east side
of Cherry Hill south of Jubilee. 

The resident of apartment 201 awoke to smell and see smoke. Within a
few minutes the smoke in the apartment increased and the resident
evacuated and called 9-1-1.

Firefighters had a tough battle as the fire was in the attic of the
apartment building and had spread amongst a deep layer of cellulose
insulation which firefighters later removed. Firefighters cut holes in
the roof to vent the smoke and attacked the fire from the roof area. It
took them about 45 minutes to bring the fire under control.

Firefighters also performed numerous salvage operations, the covering
of furnishings and other valuables, in several apartments to protect the
personal property of the owners from water and smoke damage. 

The apartment building was equipped with working smoke alarms, but the
fire and smoke were in the attic, hence the occupants first indication
of a fire in progress was not by the smoke alarms which were functioning
later in the fire, but by the smell of smoke. The building was also
protected by an automatic fire sprinkler system designed as a “13R”
system which protects living spaces but not attic or roof areas with
sprinkler heads.

Fire investigators have determined the origin of the fire was in the
attic area above apartment 201 and are focusing on an electrical problem
or a possible lightening strike to the roof. Fire investigators were
told by tenants they heard lightening and a possible strike when
thunderstorms moved through south Columbia around 7:30 p.m. the evening
of May 30. Fire investigators will consult on Monday with the University
Of Missouri Department Of Atmospheric Science to obtain lightening
strike data to aid in the investigation. 

Four engines, a ladder, a heavy rescue squad, a division chief, a
battalion chief, a fire investigator, a public information officer and
an ambulance from University Hospitals were dispatched or called to the
scene. The last fire company and fire investigator left the scene
shortly after 8 a.m.

- 30 -
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