UPDATE 6:30 p.m.,| A Kansas City woman has been charged in connection to a fire that destroyed an apartment building early Friday morning.
According to Jackson County Courts, Loukesha Smith, 37, has been charged with one count of arson.
Smith’s bail has been set at $50,000.
UPDATE | Firefighters continued to monitor hotspots in the apartment building Friday afternoon. Some began to smoke.
Post demolition look at 2660/2662 Lockridge after fire pic.twitter.com/nP4PiSm12j
— Brian Abel (@BrianAbelTV) January 8, 2016
Lockridge fire smoldering again. @KCMOFireDept crews knocking it out pic.twitter.com/tXFcAbzLMS
— Brian Abel (@BrianAbelTV) January 8, 2016
Hotspots are rekindling at scene of Lockridge apartment building fire in #KCMO. @KCMOFireDept monitoring right now. pic.twitter.com/acvky1dlXO
— Andres Gutierrez (@AFGutierrez) January 8, 2016
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Kansas City police said a person of interest is being interviewed in connection to an apartment fire that happened early Friday morning.
Firefighters were called to an apartment fire at 2660 Lockridge Ave.
The apartment building was one of five owned by Houston Enterprises in the same area. The property manager told 41 Action News there were six apartments with six lease holders and "maybe 10 people total" lived in the building.
Firefighters were told to evacuate the building and then fought the fire defensively.
The back stairwell collapsed, according to crews on the scene. Part of the roof collapsed before 6:30 a.m. Before 7 a.m., one of the battalion chiefs said the back of the structure had partially collapsed and the roof had completely caved in. Close to 8 a.m., the front of the building also collapsed.
Firefighters have called the building a total loss.
A battalion chief updated the media around 7 a.m. before the front of the building collapsed:
Around 8 a.m. Friday, authorities said the fire was under control and crews are continuing to monitor hotspots.
Fire is under control on Lockridge. @KCMOFireDept monitoring hotspots as some FFs begin to put away hoses pic.twitter.com/4rkoM0UPf7
— Andres Gutierrez (@AFGutierrez) January 8, 2016
At least two people have been transported from the scene by paramedics.
More than a dozen people have been displaced after a fire engulfed the building.
Authorities have closed Lockridge and Benton to traffic due to the fire. KCATA tweeted that it is continuing its 27th route despite the fire and is also providing a warming bus to residents affected by the fire.
27-27th Street on regular route despite fire near 27th & Benton. We are providing a warming bus for residents at request of @KCMOFireDept.
— KCATA (@KCATAMetro) January 8, 2016
Many residents evacuated the building without shoes. A couple people have reportedly jumped out of the building to escape.
Sarah Plake and Andres Gutierrez live tweeted from the scene.
.@KCMOFireDept firefighters doing an aerial attack of apartment building fire on 2600 blk of Lockridge pic.twitter.com/uyq2bKcaHA
— Andres Gutierrez (@AFGutierrez) January 8, 2016
Back wall looks to have collapsed a bit @41ActionNews Lockridge & Benton pic.twitter.com/oIR9XBjPHy
— Sarah Plake (@SarahPlakeTV) January 8, 2016
Apartment bldg looks more like a shell now. @41ActionNews pic.twitter.com/YbRbwt9MeQ
— Sarah Plake (@SarahPlakeTV) January 8, 2016
Looks like flames concentrated in the back still. Lots of smoke @41ActionNews pic.twitter.com/oCgsNXXSGg
— Sarah Plake (@SarahPlakeTV) January 8, 2016
Stay with 41 Action News as we continue to update this story.
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