Overland Park apartment fire damages multiple units, displaces 5 adults & 3 pets
A cat and two dogs were rescued by the Overland Park Fire Department following an apartment fire that displaced several people Tuesday night.
OPFD responded to a fire reported just before 7 p.m. Tuesday at The Louis Overland Park Apartments at 140th and Newton.
Firefighters at the scene said the fire began on a second-floor balcony before spreading through the outside of the building onto the third floor.
While damage from the fire was contained to the exterior of the building, many units suffered from water and smoke damage.
In all, five adults and three pets were displaced from three separate units in the complex.
How did the Overland Park apartment fire start?
On Wednesday morning, Overland Park Fire provided a statement on the investigation of the cause of the fire.
“After speaking with residents, investigators believe a resident on the second floor discarded smoking material into a flower pot several hours before the fire, which likely ignited flammable material in the flower pot,” said OPFD media manager Jason Rhodes in an email to the Star.
“Fire then spread to the building. The fire was noticed by a neighbor who called 9-1-1. No injuries are reported.”
The fire department cautions smokers of the dangers of improperly discarded cigarettes, recommending extinguishing the smoking materials immediately with sand or water.
