Fire leaves 10 homeless

COLDWATER - A blaze that consumed an apartment complex late Wednesday night, possibly injuring two residents, causing $500,000 worth of damage and leaving about 10 people homeless, has reportedly been ruled an accident by the state fire marshal.

Coldwater Fire Chief Brent Forsthoefel said his department responded to 911 N. Seventh St., Apt. 47, after receiving a call at about 11 p.m. Wednesday about an apartment fully engulfed in flames.

The fire reportedly started when residents tried to light a kerosene lantern in the front room of their apartment. The fire spread, blowing out the windows of the apartment and crawling to the roof area, where it then began to spread to the adjacent apartments through the attic, Forsthoefel said.

All residents had evacuated the building, but Forsthoefel said two were transported as a precautionary measure to Mercer County Community Hospital for possible injuries.

Forsthoefel said all five units were destroyed in the blaze, estimating the total cost of the damage at $500,000. The building was reportedly insured.

Four of the five apartments were being rented at the time of the fire, and Forsthoefel estimated about 10 people have been displaced. The American Red Cross has been called to assist those affected, he said.

A total of 28 firefighters from St. Henry, Coldwater and Celina responded to the scene with many working long into Thursday morning. Forsthoefel said some firefighters returned to the station at about 5 a.m. Thursday, but he had remained at the scene until noon waiting for the fire marshal to arrive.