Arson Suspected in Ohio Blaze

Oct. 5, 2006
The blaze appears to have started in a stairwell.

Arson is suspected in a fire that sent flames shooting through the roof of a Sedamsville apartment building, investigators said.

The blaze broke out on the 600 block of Sedam Street at about 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Fire investigators said it appears the blaze started in the stairwell and spread through the three floors. Some 30 residents had to be evacuated.

Everyone safely got out of the building, but officials took two juveniles into custody for questioning.

The mother of two teenage children said she panicked when she returned home and saw the flames.

"My kids, my two kids -- I thought they were, I don't know, dead," resident Minnuette Billingham said.

Firefighters said one resident had a panic attack and was treated at the scene. At least two families didn't have a place to stay, so the Red Cross helped them out.

Copyright 2006 by WLWT.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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