Smoking to blame for apartment fire

Last Update: 9/24/2009 6:18 pm

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Smoking to blame for apartment fire

WICHITA, Kansas – It happens time and time again and it happened once again Thursday. Cigarette smoking led to a fire at a southeast Wichita apartment complex, leaving a man fighting for his life.

The victim, a 61-year-old man, was smoking on his couch at the Cherry Creek Apartment complex near Pawnee and Rock Rd. Before long, he was overcome and was not breathing by the time firefighters reached him.

Firefighters got into the burning unit in building nine any way they could.

"They forced entry in, and then as soon as they got past the front door, there was significant smoke inside the building,” said Capt. Robert Dusenbery with the Wichita Fire Department.

But even their quick work wasn’t enough to revive the man. Paramedics transported him code blue – code for no pulse and not breathing.

It was anything but a normal, peaceful afternoon for other residents of building nine. Firefighters had knocked on their doors, telling them to get out quickly.

Several units sustained such bad smoke damage that firefighters say it will likely be several days before residents will be allowed back in.

The Schtakleff family lives in building nine. They were on their porch watching firefighters when the evacuation warning came.

"So I ran back in and we put our animals in the cage and just came out here,” said Mary Schtakleff. “She's upset because we were baking a cake, and she's like, ‘my cake,’” Mary said of her daughter.

The Railey family also had to get out. The fire broke up Tom’s afternoon routine.

"Usually after lunch, get ready for work and head off to work -- and now what,” Tom said. “I called up to work and said, ‘I might not be showing up,’ they understood why."

The fire no doubt caused some inconveniences, especially for those who’ll be out of their homes for a while. But at least the smoke and flames didn’t hurt anyone else.

The damages are estimated at $30,000 to the building and $10,000 to its contents.

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