Fire Department

A fire that burned through an east side balcony is believed to be the result of improperly discarded cigarettes.

A resident on the 200 block of N. Thompson Drive pulled the fire alarm and called 911 to report the balcony fire. Upon their arrival, Engine Co. 5 was directed to a third-floor balcony that was still smoldering. The crew made their way to the associated apartment unit, contacted the occupant, and proceeded to the deck. Firefighters found a hole burned through the deck. They hit the smoldering hot spots with a water can to ensure a fire could not re-ignite.

After speaking with the occupant, firefighters learned the occupant had smoked a cigarette on the porch that morning, hours before the call. The cigarette was discarded into a clay pot, which ultimately burned through the balcony and fell onto the porch below. Nobody was injured or displaced. Damages are estimated around $500.