Cause of fire found in walls of Riverside apartment building undetermined

UPDATE @ 5:25 p.m.: The cause of the apartment building fire is undetermined, Riverside Fire Battalion Chief Jim Hart said.

Heating and air-conditioning crews were working at the rear of the building at the time, but where the fire started has not been determined, Hart said.

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Six apartment have either fire, water, smoke or heat damage and an unknown number of occupants have been displaced. Building management is working with them to find temporary lodging, Hart said.

Crews found fire in the walls between apartments on the second and third floors, in a plumbing pipe chase, he said. Firefighters had to open up and move walls to get at the flames.

They were successful in stopping the fire before it reached the attic of the building in the 4600 block of Penn Avenue.

The damage could be substantial, Hart said, but he could not yet put a dollar amount on it.

Crews from Fairborn, Beavercreek, Dayton and Kettering assisted Riverside in handling the fire run, Hart said.

There were no injuries, he said.

INITIAL REPORT

A Riverside apartment building has been evacuated after smoke from an air conditioner filled up a unit, according to firefighters.

Crews were dispatched to the complex in the 4600 block of Penn Avenue around 3:10 p.m. after an air conditioner unit caught fire.

Officials said they are working to determine if the fire has spread to other parts of the building.

No injuries have initially been reported.

We have a crew on the scene and we’ll update this page as we learn more.

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