INDIANAPOLIS — Firefighters with the Indianapolis Fire Department had a busy first 12 hours of their 24 hour shift as they tackled six working fires and one diesel fuel spill on Sunday.
In total, 19 Indianapolis residents have been displaced from their homes following these fires.
Five families — 16 people in total — have been displaced from an apartment complex located at 6134 Tours Court on the city's northeast side. Firefighters were dispatched at 8:05 p.m. and were able to get the fire under control at 8:45 p.m., according to Rita Reith, IFD's public information officer. One firefighter was slightly injured while getting this fire under control and was transported to Methodist with possible heat exhaustion.
Second floor residents of the apartment complex were notified by their neighbors of a fire happening on their balcony , at which point the two occupants tried to use a fire extinguisher to no avail.
The power has been cut off to all eight of the apartment's units. IFD Victims Assistance is working with the Red Cross for shelter for the families displaced.
According to investigators, residents do say the apartment complex has asbestos. Dave Decker, IFD Battalion Chief, estimated the apartment damage of being at $250,000. This fire is under investigation.
The very first fire IFD was dispatched to was around 7:22 a.m. at 2009 Shelby Street, on the city's southeast side near Garfield Park. One firefighter was injured in this attack with a twisted ankle.
This fire is under investigation.
Three other Indianapolis residents were displaced from their homes on Sunday morning on the city's near northeast side. This was due to an electrical fire in the double residence's basement.
No one was injured in this fire. IFD Victims Assistance is working with the Red Cross for shelter for the three individuals.
The following three fires that occurred around the Circle City on Monday are under investigation as well:
1. On the city's near east side, located at East New York and North Bradley Avenue, firefighters were dispatched at 11:55 p.m. on Saturday night to an aggressive fire. IFD was able to get the fire under control at 6:38 a.m. the next morning.
2. On the city's near west side, another fire remains under investigation at North Concord and West 10th Street. Firefighters were dispatched at around 11:13 p.m. on Saturday night, and the fire was under control about 20 minutes later.
There are no injuries to report here.
3. A heavy fire on the city's east side, located at 4105 North Brentwood Drive, at the Oak Tree Apartments. There was a total loss of one unit, no injuries to report and the fire was under control in an hour and a half.
A diesel spill on I-465 Northbound at 44.1 mile marker also occurred on Sunday night. According to IFD, a spill of approximately 150 gallons of diesel fuel gave way on the highway — none reached waterway or grass.
IFD and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Fire Investigators are asking anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS.
