Apartment fire displaces over a dozen Kansas City families; drone images show damage

An estimated 15 to 18 families were displaced after a fire consumed much of a Kansas City apartment building, said Angie Springs, a spokesperson for the American Red Cross, which is providing essential needs to the families who were affected.

Three people were hospitalized during the overnight apartment fire. One other sustained minor injuries when they jumped from a balcony to escape the blaze. One person was listed in serious condition, said Kansas City Fire Department spokesman Jason Spreitzer.

The department received half a dozen calls of a fire in the 1100 block of Benton Boulevard just after 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, Spreitzer said.

Drone images from the aftermath show extensive damage to the building’s roof and entry.

By the time crews arrived at the scene, heavy smoke was already coming from the back of the four-story building, Spreitzer said. Fire started showing through the roof by 12:41 a.m.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Kansas City is assisting the fire and police departments in investigating the cause of the blaze.

John Ham, a spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, was at the scene mid-morning Wednesday. He said an initial investigation shows the fire likely started on the first floor.

“Like with all fire investigations, this one will take some time,” he said.

This is the second apartment fire investigated by the ATF in recent weeks in Kansas City. A national response team was called in to investigate an apartment fire that displaced about 30 families shortly after Christmas.

This story was originally published January 13, 2021 at 1:05 PM.