Four families were displaced after a fire late Wednesday night at an apartment building in Vancouver’s Ogden neighborhood that was most likely caused by improperly discarded smoking materials, fire officials said.
Firefighters were called to the Aurora Apartments, 8105 N.E. Fourth Plain Blvd., just after 11 p.m. Wednesday.
They arrived to find smoke coming from the three-story apartment complex and occupants evacuating the complex, the Vancouver Fire Department reported.
Crews quickly entered and discovered that a fire in a laundry room on the second floor had been controlled by a sprinkler, fire officials said.
Firefighters searched the room and the rest of the building and found no victims or anyone injured, the fire department reported.
Twenty-seven firefighters responded to the scene and brought the situation under control in about 15 minutes.
“Residential fire sprinklers protect lives and property by keeping fires small,” Scarpelli said. “Because the sprinkler system reacts so quickly, it can dramatically reduce heat, flames and smoke produced in fire, allowing people to escape safely.”
Water from the sprinklers damaged units at the complex, displacing four families, the fire department said.
About 17 people were displaced by the incident, Scarpelli said. Volunteers with the American Red Cross responded to the scene and the organization provided assistance such as temporary housing, food, clothing, comfort kits and information about recovery services.
The fire caused an estimated $50,000 in damage, Scarpelli said.
