Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Three people were left homeless after an overnight fire destroyed their apartments. The fire was discovered just after midnight Wednesday morning in the 1300 block of South Emporia.

Officials say firefighters arrived on the scene to find flames and smoke pouring from a large home that had been converted into three apartments. They searched the home and found all three adult residents had been able to get out of the house safely.

Because of the layout of the home, firefighters had a difficult time moving through the house. Flames quickly broke through the roof and crews were forced to exit the structure and fight the fire defensively.

Crews also faced the challenge of working in the extreme cold. Dozens of extra firefighters were called in for relief and a rehab crew was set up on the scene to help crews stay warm.

It took firefighters just over an hour to get the fire under control. Crews remained on the scene overnight monitoring the situation and putting out hot spots.

One resident was treated at the scene but declined to go to the hospital. The Red Cross responded to the scene to help the three residents find a place to stay for the night.

Officials say all three apartments were heavily damaged. The cause of the fire is under investigation.