A FIRE JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT SUNDAY NIGHT IN A LE MARS APARTMENT BUILDING HAS DISPLACED SOME OF THE RESIDENTS.
FIREFIGHTERS FOUND FIRE BURNING ON THE SECOND AND THIRD FLOOR EXTERIOR DECKS OF THE BUILDING AND INTO THE ATTIC AND ROOF WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT 1070 7TH AVE SE.
THERE WERE SIX APARTMENTS IN THAT SECTION OF THE 18-UNIT BUILDING AND ALL OF THE OCCUPANTS WERE SAFELY EVACUATED.
FIREFIGHTERS PUT OUT FIRE IN TWO APARTMENTS AND THE ATTIC OF THE BUILDING.
INVESTIGATORS SAY THE FIRE STARTED ON A DECK ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING BY IMPROPERLY DISCARDED SMOKING MATERIALS THAT IGNITED NEARBY COMBUSTIBLES.
THREE OF THE SIX APARTMENTS HAD FIRE, WATER, AND SMOKE DAMAGE AND ARE UNINHABITABLE.
RESIDENTS WERE ALLOWED TO RETURN TO THE OTHER UNITS.
DAMAGE IS ESTIMATED AT $100,000.
THE AMERICAN RED CROSS IS ASSISTING THE DISPLACED RESIDENTS.
