Aeolian Apartments damaged by fire and water

Nine apartments at Aeolian Apartments were damaged by a mix of water and fire early Wednesday morning.

At around 4 a.m., firefighters were dispatched to the 1300 block of Cherry Street. The initial call came in as a water issue, according to Deputy Fire Chief Derrick Stamps. However, when firefighters first arrived, smoke was seen coming from the apartment building.

Stamps stated the fire started in an apartment on the third floor. All the building’s residents were evacuated for safety while firefighters worked to contain the flames.

Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to one room of the apartment before it was able to spread to adjacent units.

One person was transported to Merit Health for smoke inhalation and is reported to be recovering well. While only one apartment sustained fire damage, Stamps states that a total of nine apartments were affected by water damage.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation but is believed to have been related to cooking.