South Side blaze displaces 28 residents
Mopping up after extinguishing a two-alarm fire at Mission Park Apartments in the 5600 block of South 12th Avenue are Engine 3 Captain Glenn Fleck (left) and firefighter Anthony Donofrio from Engine 14. A ceiling vent fan caused the fire.
A ceiling vent fan caused a fire at a Tucson residence Friday morning, a Tucson Fire Department spokeswoman said.
Friday’s fire broke out about 8:20 a.m. at Mission Park Apartments, at South 12th Avenue near South Drexel Road, Capt. Trish Tracy said.
Nobody was injured, but the blaze caused $80,000 of damage in the two-story complex and displaced 28 residents from 12 units, Tracy said.
She said the fire started in a ground floor apartment’s bathroom vent fan and caused the evacuation of 16 units.
Residents noted smoke coming from the roof vents and called 911 at 8:23 a.m. Fire crews were on the scene by 8:30 and had the fire under control by 8:49.
The complex’s manager is helping the displaced residents find places to stay while damage is repaired and utilities restored, Tracy said.
“This is the same situation that happened Thursday,” Tracy said, citing a house fire that started in a kitchen vent fan in the 7000 block of East Calle Osito, near East Golf Links and South Kolb roads.
Tuffy, the family’s Yorkshire terrier, had saved the family from Thursday’s blaze by barking loud enough to awaken them.
Tracy said smoke detectors went off during the Friday morning fire, but she also cautioned people to shut off vent fans.
“Don’t leave the fan running when you are sleeping or leave the room,” Tracy said. “Things can go wrong.”