Smoldering Fireplace Blamed for McCandless Apartment Fire

McCandless Fire Marshal Dan Stack said Tuesday morning's fire in an apartment above the Window and Kitchen Specialist Store at 1667 Duncan Ave. started in an unattended fireplace.

"The homeowners had built a fire sometime earlier and had left. Some embers must have jumped onto some nearby furniture," said Stack. "Luckily, a delivery guy driving by noticed the smoke and called 9-1-1 right away."

Within minutes, dozens of firefighters arrived on the scene.

"It was what we call a one-line fire," said Stack. "It took just one hose to put it out, but plenty of good teamwork considering a lot of firefighters were at work when the call came in."

The two apartments on the second floor of the building sustained heavy smoke and water damage, but there was just minor water damage to the business below Stack said.

The Red Cross is helping the two families forced out by the fire.

Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook 

Check out some of today's other top stories here.