A very quick response by the Ottawa Fire Department turned what could have been a major fire into a smaller event. Firefighters were called to the apartment complex in the 2300 block of Cedar Street Sunday, November 2nd, just afternoon. Upon arrival, they saw smoke coming from a second floor window. Crews quickly made entry into the building and located a room and contents on fire. They swiftly extinguished the fire, preventing it from spreading to other units. Fire damage was limited to one apartment, however, water damage affected several nearby apartments. No injuries were reported. When fire crews arrived, evacuation of the building was already in progress.
The Ottawa Fire department commends the residents for promptly evacuating when the fire alarm sounded, which contributed to a safe and effective response. Fire Chief Shawn Dillon did not reveal the cause of the fire as fire investigators from both Ottawa and the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s office were called to the scene and are continuing to investigate the cause . He estimated damage to the structure at about $40,000, and $25,000 to the contents. One resident has been displaced as a result of the incident.
