Hunter
02/21/22
Cedar Rapids firefighters say a lack of oxygen helped contain a fire in an apartment complex.
According to a release from the Department, they were dispatched at 4:42 am on reports of a smell of smoke in an apartment building on the 5900 block of Dean Road Southwest. Arriving crews found blacked-out windows in one of the apartments.
Firefighters had to break into the apartment, where they found a fire that had been burning, but had diminished significantly due to the lack of oxygen in the unit. Additional fire was discovered within the wall. Both blazes were fully extinguished.
The apartment suffered moderate fire and heavy smoke damage, while the neighboring apartment had minor damage due to the hidden fire in the adjacent wall. A male and female in their mid-20s were occupying the apartment, and are currently displaced due to the damage. No injuries were reported, and it’s unknown whether the smoke alarms were working in the unit.
Fire officials have determined the fire was unintentional.
Firefighting operations were stopped around 3am at another blaze crews were called to just after midnight Sunday at the Geneva Tower on Fifth Avenue Southeast. The structure primarily houses elderly and disabled residents. Heavy smoke and flames were visible from the ninth floor and spreading to the upper floors of the building because of the strong winds.
One resident was taken to a specialty center for smoke inhalation and heat-related injuries, while others were taken to a local hospital for smoke exposure and other issues. No firefighters were injured.
Investigators are investigating the cause of the fire at the 12-story complex. No damage estimate is available.