Lightning Strikes OH Retirement Facility

MONROE --Monroe Fire Chief John Centers said Sunday morning that one resident was released from an area hospital after sustaining minor injuries during an apartment fire Saturday night at the Mount Pleasant Retirement Village.

Centers said he did not know the condition of a firefighter who was injured during the blaze.

He said firefighters were effecting rescues of the third floor residents during the fire as the roof began to collapse.

“There were a good number of residents hanging on in the third floor hallway which was full of smoke,” he said. “There were several residents trapped in rooms and in the hallways. We were grabbing as many of them as often as we could.”

Centers described the Mount Pleasant’s staff as “phenomenal as they evacuated the entire building.”

He said it took time as staff was banging on room doors and searching the rooms to ensure everyone got out as the smoke was down to the hallway floors.

Centers also praised the many Monroe residents who came to help get the residents away from the burning building.

“There was an incredible outpouring of community support as people helped to get the residents out of the building,” he said.

Centers said the fire started about 6:45 p.m. after a lightning strike. Flames and heavy black smoke were visible from the north wing of the facility as the first fire crews arrived.

A number of residents who were trapped were calling 911 for help.

About 13 fire departments responded with more than 100 firefighters on the scene. Fire crews remained overnight at the facility extinguishing hot spots.

©2016 the Journal-News (Hamilton, Ohio)

Visit the Journal-News (Hamilton, Ohio) at www.journal-news.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.