An Assisted Living Facility for Seniors and the Disabled was Gutted by Fire in Washington

CHELAN, Wash. (AP) -- An assisted living facility for seniors and the disabled was gutted by a three-alarm fire that left two dozen residents homeless.

Neighbors helped the residents escape the Sunday afternoon fire, which required units from Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, Entiat, Orondo, Waterville, Mansfield, Brewster, Pateros and Leavenworth to respond. About 50 firefighters battled the blaze, said Dan Nutley of Chelan County Fire District 7.

''We pretty much got everyone we could,'' Nutley said.

The fire was reported at the Bayshore Court Apartments at 4:16 p.m. JoAnn Roark, resident manager at the apartments, was taken to Lake Chelan Community Hospital and treated for smoke inhalation. A Chelan firefighter was treated at the scene for heat exhaustion, but there were no serious injuries.

Smoke detectors were working when firefighters arrived, but the building did not have an interior sprinkler system.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.