Jan. 10--Discarded smoking materials are being blamed for a fire late Sunday night that displaced six families at a Gladstone apartment building.
The fire was reported about 10:30 p.m. at an apartment building in the 3200 block of Northeast 59th Street.
The fire began on the ground floor and spread upward to the third floor and into the roof, according to Richard King, a spokesman for the city.
The building has a concrete block fire wall that was framed and covered with wood. Fire investigators determined that discarded smoking materials lodged against that wood between two decks and then spread through a void between the wood and the blocks.
The fire caused an estimated $150,000 in damages. Fire, smoke and water damage was reported on the third floor, while water damage was only reported on the first and second floors. The roof was also damaged while firefighters worked to extinguish the fire, according to King.
No one was injured. Crews from North Kansas City and Riverside fire departments also responded to the fire.
--Robert A. Cronkleton, [email protected]
Copyright 2012 - The Kansas City Star, Mo.
