KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A fire in the 9100 block of Robinson in Overland Park Thursday morning left six apartment units uninhabitable and 12 people displaced, according to the Overland Park Fire Department.
OPFD and Lenexa Fire Department crews arrived around 4:30 a.m. at the Meadowlark Hills Apartments.
Firefighters reported smoke showing from the building as a search began to ensure all occupants had evacuated.
The fire was inside an exterior wall, which OPFD says required significant work to dig out.
After nearly an hour and a half, the blaze was controlled.
Investigators believe a cigarette put out in a rusted-through coffee can is to blame for igniting a deck and spreading fire to an exterior wall of the building. The incident is being ruled accidental in nature, according to OPFD.
No injuries are reported.
In total, 12 people have been displaced. OPFD says the apartment’s management team is working with Red Cross to assist the individuals.
To avoid similar incidents, OPFD urges the public to completely extinguish smoking materials in sand or water before discarding.
This is scene video from this morning's fire at the Meadowlark Hills Apartments. No injuries reported. Good job by crews on a very labor intensive fire. pic.twitter.com/LL6eMqeYHb
— Overland Park Fire (@OverlandParkFD) September 1, 2022
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