[Press Release] : Columbia Fire Department Press Release - Update on 711 Hulen Fire - Origin and Cause

[Press Releases]

Contact: Battalion Chief Steven Sapp
573-499-7035 - Duty PIOPager (24 hours)
573-874-7556 Office (M-F, 8-5)
 
For Immediate Release: 
Late Evening Fire - UPDATE
 
(Columbia, MO) - Columbia Fire Fighters were called at 10:10 PMon
Monday, October 4, 2010to 711 Hulen Drivefor a report of a structure
fire. 
 
Arriving crews reported light smoke from the front of the 4-plex
apartment unit and made entry to find a small fire in the bedroom area
of apartment three (3). The fire was extinguished in less than five
minutes. 
 
The fire was discovered when the circuit breaker which controlled the
power to the television in the living room tripped causing a loss of
power to the television and lamps in the living room. The son of the
occupant began to investigate and it was then he noticed smoke in the
hallway coming from the bedroom where his mother was asleep. The son
awoke his mother and both of them and two other occupants were able to
escape without injury.
 
The smoke alarm in the hallway outside of the sleeping rooms in the
apartment was not functional as the battery was missing. Had another
occupant of the apartment not been awake and discovered this fire early,
the sleeping occupant in the bedroom where the fire originated could
have suffered serious injury or death. 
 
Fire investigators have determined the fire began in the bedroom next
to the bed and the night stand. The cause of the fire was likely a
failure of a multi-plug electrical adaptor from unknown causes.  
 
Damage to the structure and the contents is estimated at $3000. 
 
The apartment suffered fire and smoke damage to one bedroom and light
smoke damage to the remainder of the apartment. The tenants of
apartment3are being assisted with temporary living quarters by the
Mid-Missouri Chapter of the American Red Cross. 
 
The occupants of the three other apartments were not affected by the
fire in apartment3. 
 
 
 
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