Ohio Crews Save 40 People From Fatal Apartment Fire

One person died and three were hospitalized Sunday afternoon after fire struck a North Linden apartment complex.

Forty people had to be rescued by firefighters from the second and third floors of the Cambridge Apartments because heavy black smoke quickly filled the hallways, preventing some residents from exiting on their own.

"I had to crawl out because the smoke was so thick," said Delores Garrett, 47, who lived on the second floor. "It was just black; you couldn't see."

The cause of the fire had not been determined tonight.

The Columbus Division of Fire was called to the complex at 3170 Cleveland Ave. at 5:25 p.m. At one point, there were an estimated 60 firefighters and 40 pieces of equipment on the scene, said Battalion Chief Michael Fowler.

Shortly after firefighters made their first check of the interior, a burned body was found in a first-floor hallway, Fowler said.

Police and fire investigators, along with the Franklin County coroner's office, were working last night to confirm the victim's identity. Two men and a woman were taken to hospitals for treatment of smoke inhalation, Fowler said. At least 10 apartment residents were given oxygen at the scene by paramedics.

The fire is thought to have started in apartment A-8, not far from where the body was found in the hallway, Fowler said.

The 66-unit apartment complex sustained heavy smoke damage, making it uninhabitable, Fowler said. The American Red Cross and apartment managers were helping residents find places to stay. The Linden Recreation Center at 1254 Briarwood Ave. was being used as a temporary shelter last night.

Copyright 2012 - The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio

McClatchy-Tribune News Service