Fire District 1 responded to a house fire that sent one resident to the hospital with minor injuries and a smoke-filled apartment on Wednesday, March 5, said District 1 Fire Chief Peter Andrade.

Around 3:30 p.m. firefighters from District 1 and later from Districts 2 and 3 responded to a residential basement fire at 75 Alpha Street.

Andrade said the cause of the fire is under investigation but added it occurred close to a dryer.

To extinguish the fire, firefighters stretched a hose line to the rear of the residence, entered the basement through its bulkhead door, located the fire and put it out within 10 minutes, he said.

Units searched the first and second floors for occupants, to ventilate the smoke out and check for the extent of the fire throughout the residence.

“We were on scene approximately two hours,” Andrade said.

Andrade said one resident sustained a minor burn to the leg and was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital for treatment. 

Residents were provided a voucher for an overnight stay at the Residence Inn, which Andrade said is a complimentary service done for fire victims. He added that the residents were also referred to the Red Cross for additional assistance.

District 1 also responded to building B on Sun and Sea Drive around 7:30 p.m. after an elderly resident had left the apartment and forgot food on the stove, Andrade said.

The apartment was filled with smoke, but there wasn’t a fire, he said.

Residents of the multi-family dwelling evacuated and firefighters had to force the door open to move the food off the stove.

It took responders about 45 minutes to clear the apartment of smoke, which Andrade said left “significant smoke damage throughout the apartment.”