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Blue Springs, MO —
A fire heavily damaged an apartment and partially damaged another on the 100 block of Zaun Avenue in Blue Springs Thursday afternoon.
Central Jackson County Fire Protection District Chief Steve Westermann said that after the call came in about 3:45 p.m., the fire was contained quickly and put out in about a half hour. No one was injured in the blaze in the eight-apartment building.
Melinda Danner, whose upstairs apartment sustained most of the damage, said she thought the fire started in the apartment below hers. She and her son Joshua managed to escape uninjured.
“I was sleeping and heard this crackling, and at first I thought it might be rain starting, but I didn’t see any rain yet,” Danner said. “Then I started smelling smoke and then I saw smoke coming out of the fire place. I thought that was strange because I never use the fireplace. Then we got out.
“Then I saw the lady who lives downstairs and she said she tried to start a fire in her fireplace. I think it may have started in the chimney.”
Westermann and CJC fire inspector Jim Vandrell said the official cause of the fire was unknown at this time. Danner’s upstairs apartment had extensive damage, but a dollar amount was unknown.
Westermann said five trucks and approximately 30 firefighters helped douse the blaze quickly.
A firefighter later appeared, carrying a cage with her son’s pet rats and presented them to the thankful Danners.
“We’re happy that they survived,” said Danner, who added that she was unsure of how much she had lost in the fire.
Danner said that she and her son would now stay with her mother who lives in an apartment building in the same neighborhood until she figures out permanent living arrangements.
A fire heavily damaged an apartment and partially damaged another on the 100 block of Zaun Avenue in Blue Springs Thursday afternoon.
Central Jackson County Fire Protection District Chief Steve Westermann said that after the call came in about 3:45 p.m., the fire was contained quickly and put out in about a half hour. No one was injured in the blaze in the eight-apartment building.
Melinda Danner, whose upstairs apartment sustained most of the damage, said she thought the fire started in the apartment below hers. She and her son Joshua managed to escape uninjured.
“I was sleeping and heard this crackling, and at first I thought it might be rain starting, but I didn’t see any rain yet,” Danner said. “Then I started smelling smoke and then I saw smoke coming out of the fire place. I thought that was strange because I never use the fireplace. Then we got out.
“Then I saw the lady who lives downstairs and she said she tried to start a fire in her fireplace. I think it may have started in the chimney.”
Westermann and CJC fire inspector Jim Vandrell said the official cause of the fire was unknown at this time. Danner’s upstairs apartment had extensive damage, but a dollar amount was unknown.
Westermann said five trucks and approximately 30 firefighters helped douse the blaze quickly.
A firefighter later appeared, carrying a cage with her son’s pet rats and presented them to the thankful Danners.
“We’re happy that they survived,” said Danner, who added that she was unsure of how much she had lost in the fire.
Danner said that she and her son would now stay with her mother who lives in an apartment building in the same neighborhood until she figures out permanent living arrangements.
