Operations & Training

Woman Dies after Re-Entering Indianapolis Fire Twice

May 30, 2022

A woman died from inhalation injuries after re-entering her burning apartment twice, Indianapolis firefighters said.

By Madeleine List

Source The Charlotte Observer

A woman died after re-entering a her apartment, Indianapolis fire officials said.

A woman who left and re-entered her burning apartment twice died of smoke inhalation inside her apartment, Indiana fire officials say.

Firefighters responded to the blaze at an apartment building in Indianapolis at around 5 a.m. on Sunday, May 29, according to a statement from the Indianapolis Fire Department.

They found the woman in her apartment on the fourth floor, which was filled with smoke, according to the statement.

Witnesses later told firefighters that the woman had escaped and then re-entered her apartment twice, the statement says. After the second time, she became overwhelmed by smoke.

Most fire-related deaths are caused by smoke inhalation, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Smoke is made up of lethal particles, vapors and toxic gasses that can incapacitate a person in a matter of minutes.

“The Indianapolis Fire Department would like to remind everyone – If a fire occurs in your home, apartment or building – please do not try and re-enter - to gather personal effects or pets,” the Indianapolis Fire Department’s statement says. “Get Out and Stay Out. The toxic effects of smoke will render you unconscious in minutes and can prove to be fatal – as evidenced by today’s unfortunate fatality. “