As fire crews from all over the metro rushed to Overland Park’s CityPlace apartments to help battle a massive fire, Matt Bell was sitting at work when he got an alert on his phone.
“I got a notification there was action at my door, popped it on and I saw the fire and the flames coming from the apartment behind me,” he told 41 Action News.
His home sits less than 200 yards from the apartment complex under construction. His doorbell surveillance camera captured the fire as it spread.
“I watched it the next few minutes and I saw flames hit my bushes and trees out front and light it on fire,” Bell said.
His neighbor’s house across the street had already caught fire so Bell said he assumed his house “could be going as well.”
"My house just has a small burn through the roof. My deck burned and furniture, very simple stuff. I’m thankful and blessed my house didn’t do any more damage. But all of the houses around me are burned and total losses,” he said.
According to Overland Park’s Fire Chief, at least 22 homes were damaged by fire sparked by embers.
“I was out hosing down my house with the garden hose like ten other people,” David Singer told 41 Action News.
Like others in the neighborhood south of the apartment complex, Singer was forced to evacuate his home Monday night. Only those who lived in the neighborhood were allowed back in for most of Tuesday.
“I expected to come back and our house be on fire,” said Singer.
His home was not damaged.
Dozens of fire investigators from multiple agencies were back on scene Tuesday interviewing workers and surveying the damage to nearby homes.
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Ariel Rothfield can be reached at Ariel.Rothfield@KSHB.com.
