Ind. Firefighter, Resident Injured in Apartment Blaze

Sept. 6, 2012
An apartment occupant and the firefighter helping her down a ladder at a burning LaPorte apartment building are recovering from burns and other injuries suffered in the rescue.

LAPORTE, Ind. -- An apartment occupant and the firefighter helping her down a ladder at a burning LaPorte apartment building are recovering from burns and other injuries suffered in the rescue.

Meanwhile, investigators on Tuesday were still trying to determine what caused the blaze that heavily damaged a building containing 24 units at LaPorte Commons Apartments on the city's west side.

"It could have been a lot worse," said LaPorte Fire Chief Andy Snyder.

Firefighters Saturday night arrived to smoke and flames coming from the building on Andrew Avenue.

According to fire officials, firefighter Brett Slater climbed a ground ladder to reach a woman inside her second floor apartment and helped her out a window.

They were making their way down when the ladder became hot from the heat of the flames. The woman, who was not identified, pushed backward off the ladder knocking herself and Slater onto the ground 10 feet below, fire officials said.

"That's how close the flames were to the ladder," said LaPorte Fire Department Battalion Chief Darrell Crites.

Snyder said the woman suffered burns to her hands and a leg along with a head injury from her fall.

She was taken by ambulance to IU Health LaPorte Hospital, where she was admitted for her injuries.

Firefighters did not release her name, and LaPorte County EMS Administrator Pat Pease said she could not release the name because of federal privacy laws governing medical patients.

Snyder said Slater suffered second- and third-degree burns to his hands along with smoke inhalation. He was treated and released from the hospital.

A ladder on the ground was also extended to members of a family consisting of three children and two adults, who also were stranded inside their second-story unit.

Aided by firefighters, those individuals made their way down the ladder without injury, Snyder said.

Snyder said residents in 16 of the units were allowed to go back into their apartments once the fire was extinguished.

Two of the units sustained extensive fire damage, while the remaining apartments had just smoke damage.

Snyder said the fire began on a deck outside one of the apartments occupied by Richard and Kimberly O'Connell.

According to fire officials, the couple told investigators they were awakened by a smoke detector and then knocked on the doors of neighbors to warn them about the fire.

The cause of the blaze was undetermined but still being investigated.

Snyder said it might be difficult to uncover a cause because of the extensive damage in the apartment where it started.

"I can't conclusively put my finger on one thing," Snyder said.

He did say the fire was not suspicious.

Copyright 2012 South Bend Tribune Corporation. All Rights Reserved

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