Officials say an apartment fire in southwest Roanoke Wednesday night sent two people to the hospital. It happened around 9:15 in the 700 block of Sterling Road. Arriving fire crews found heavy smoke and flames. A firefighter received second-degree burns and one resident suffered smoke inhalation. Roanoke Fire-EMS says unattended cooking appears to be the cause. It estimates damages at $105,000 to nine units of the Stone Ridge Apartments. The Red Cross is assisting 12 adults and one child displaced by that fire.
News Release from Roanoke Fire/EMS:
On Wednesday, August 6, 2014, Roanoke Fire-EMS responded to an apartment
fire in the 700 block of Sterling Rd. The call was received in the E-911
Center at approximately 9:17pm and was under control at 9:35pm.
When firefighters arrived they found heavy fire and smoke from the front of
the building. Some apartments were evacuated but we were unsure if it was
completely evacuated. Firefighters deployed to evacuate those still inside
as well as to extinguish the fire.
The American Red Cross is assisting 12 adults and 1 child that were
displaced due to the fire. One apartment was a total loss and 8 other
apartments were affected. One citizen was transported to Carilion Roanoke
Memorial Hospital for smoke inhalation and one firefighter was transported
to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for burns sustained while fighting
the fire. The cause of the fire was unattended cooking. Damage estimates
are approximately $105,000.
This is the fourth apartment complex fire that Roanoke Fire-EMS has
responded to in the past few months – please remember the following fire
safety tips:
– NEVER leave cooking unattended- WATCH WHAT YOU HEAT
– Properly dispose of smoking materials and never smoke in bed or while
sleepy (best to smoke outside)
– Practice your exit drill
– Make sure your home has working smoke alarms
– Get Out, Stay Out – never re-enter a building that is on fire
– BLOW OUT BEFORE YOU GO OUT – never leave candles burning unattended
– Don’t use extension cords for permanent sources of power
– Use extreme caution with space heaters
