Four units damaged in Columbus fire
Capt. Michael Wilson
City of Columbus- Fire Department Spokesman
Columbus firefighters responded to a multi-family residential fire at the Two Worlds Condominium Complex on Wednesday morning that left 11 persons displaced. The fire heavily damaged all four units but did not result in any injuries.
At approximately 10:54 AM, firefighters were called to the area of Abundance Drive and Prosperity Drive for a report of fire. When firefighters arrived on the scene, they found fire and heavy smoke at 2055 Abundance Drive.
As crews worked to extinguish the fire at that unit, the fire breached the building’s soffit and entered the attic space. With fire burning within the void space of the attic, conditions within the interior of the building deteriorated rapidly, causing incident command to order an evacuation of the building and mark the fires attack as defensive.
As flames extended thought the attic, fire breached through the roof as it spread to the building’s three other units. From the exterior of the building , firefighters worked to apply water to the building using a combination of hand lines and elevated fire streams for the department’s ladder trucks.
Kenan Al- Husseini, a contractor working at 2065 Abundance Drive, said that we saw a small amount of smoke in the apartment he was working in, and believed it was coming from the adjacent unit at 2055 Abundance Drive. He told investigators that he went next door and discovered that the tenants of unit 2055 were aware of the fire.
After learning that the neighboring residence was aware and were evacuating, Al-Husseini said he then went to the two other units at the rear of the building, 2060 and 2050 Miracle Drive, and ensured that those residents were made aware of the fire.
One of the two rear units was vacant, said Al-Husseini, but the other unit was occupied by 1 adult and 3 children as well as 3 cats, all of which were accounted for and safe.
Amanda Hawn, 2055 Abundance Drive, said she was not at home and learned of the fire after receiving a phone call from her daughter stating that the home was on fire. Hawn told investigators that her boyfriend and two daughters safely escaped without injury.
As firefighters made progress extinguishing flames visible form the exterior, crews transitioned back to interior fire operations and began to retrieve essential items for residents.
Due to the amount of fire, smoke and water damage, much of the property inside the units was damaged or destroyed. The Salvation Army is providing fire victim assistance and emergency shelter for the occupants of one unit. The Salvation Army is also providing Holiday Assistance for the children involved at this incident.
At total of seven fire department apparatus responded to the fire with a total of 26 firefighter at the scene. Crews worked at the scene for approximately four hours.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
Agencies that assisted at the scene include the Columbus Police Department, Columbus City Utilities, Vectren Energy, Duke Energy and the Columbus Regional Health Ambulance Service.
