Overnight apartment fire in Gainesville contained to one room; displaces family

Crews from the Gainesville Fire Rescue responded to an early morning fire at the Village 34 apartments on the 300 block of SW 34th Street.

 On scene, firefighters found heavy smoke coming from the front door.  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. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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.

Editor’s Note: Photos courtesy of Gainesville Fire Rescue.