Fire at Village 34 apartment contained to one room
Press release from Gainesville Fire Rescue
At about 1:00 a.m. on June 3, Gainesville Fire Rescue (GFR) crews were summoned to Village 34 apartments in the 300 block of SW 34th St.
Crews arriving at the scene found heavy smoke coming from the front door. Firefighters from Gainesville’s Engine 4 were able to contain the fire to one room, while other arriving crews coordinated to establish a water supply and search the apartment. Incident Commander Don Campbell attributed the minimal fire damage to “…the quick response of the units and an aggressive offensive attack by the first arriving crew.”
Occupants were alerted to the fire by the sight of smoke and a working smoke alarm in the apartment. All occupants were able to safely exit the building, and no one was injured in the fire. One family was displaced, and the Red Cross was called to assist with temporary housing. GFR has determined that the fire was caused by a cell phone charger in contact with the bed.
According to Assistant Fire Chief Shawn Hillhouse, the presence of a working smoke alarm in a home reduces the risk of dying in a fire by 50%. Gainesville Fire Rescue operates project “Get Alarmed” for families that need assistance in obtaining or installing smoke detectors. For more information, contact Gainesville Fire Rescue’s Risk Reduction Bureau at 352-334-5065.