Investigators said discarded cigarettes or careless smoking caused a three-alarm fire that gutted an apartment building in west Wichita Tuesday evening.
The fire broke out in a building at the Aspen Park apartments in the 8400 block of West Central around 6:30 p.m. Smoke and flames were coming from the roof of the two-story structure.
The fire caused $1.5 million in damage to the structure with a $500,000 loss to contents. Around 20 residents were displaced and the Red Cross was called to the scene to provide assistance.
A firefighter was taken to a hospital in serious condition from heat exhaustion, and he was still hospitalized on Wednesday. No other injuries were reported.
Investigators said a resident had been smoking on a balcony before the fire started. The fire spread from the balcony and got into the attic.
[ photo: Wichita Fire Department – Facebook ]
