News

Actions

Unattended candle causes apartment fire

Posted at 5:35 AM, Dec 14, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-14 05:35:51-05

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — An evening fire in an apartment in Kalamazoo was caused by an unattended fire Tuesday, reported the Kalamazoo Public Safety Department. Everyone made it out of the residence, and no injuries were reported.

Units were called to the home on Mills Street near Jackson Street around 6:43 p.m. Crews found the fire in the stairwell on the second floor of a home that had been split into two apartments, but they determined the fire was sparked by a candle in a bedroom.

It took about an hour to control the fire, which left the structure heavily damaged.

The spread of the fire was enabled because the person in the apartment failed to call 911 right away, said KPSD, even though smoke detectors went off and the odor of smoke was apparent. KPSD noted residents should call 911 when they can smell smoke after a smoke alarm goes off.