One Injured in Apartment Fire in Dillsboro

Multiple agencies responded to the incident late Friday night.

Photo by the Friendship Volunteer Fire Department.

(Dillsboro, Ind.) – Multiple agencies responded to an apartment fire in Dillsboro on Friday night. 

The fire broke out at a residence on Alpha Drive around 10:10 p.m.

Upon arrival, firefighters found heavy smoke in the apartment and the building’s sprinkler system activated. The sprinkler system helped keep the fire contained to a bedroom.

The fire was declared under control within five minutes of arrival. Responders were then directed to eject the smoke from the complex and conduct salvage operations to remove the water accumulated from the sprinkler system.

A 47-year-old male neighbor sustained second degree burns to the face, and smoke inhalation while attempting to fight the fire prior to the arrival of firefighters. He was transported to St. Elizabeth Dearborn for treatment.

The cause of the fire has been ruled accidental. A heat source came into contact with combustible materials.

Dillsboro Firefighters were assisted at the scene by Aurora Fire, Friendship Fire, Lawrenceburg Fire and Aurora EMS.

Please be aware of the following fire safety tips, especially during the winter months.

1. Do not place anything combustible (which includes clothes, curtains, wood products-just about anything) too close to a heat source. Common occurrences are fire places with paper, kindling, or decorations too close; candles and candle warmers that either fall onto combustible material or the combustible material falls on them. Even candle warmers, placed in direct contact with a fuel source for a long period of time, can start a fire.

2. Do not overload outlets. If too many appliances or decorations are using too much electricity than the outlet’s wiring is designed to handle, then the wiring can short out. Adding a power strip does not protect from fire. The power strip will fail first causing it to release a large amount of heat when it shorts out, catching nearby materials on fire.

3. Running extension cords under moveable furniture or under carpeting. When putting up decorations for the Holiday Season, it is tempting to hide cords under rugs. It the cord fails and emits a large amount of heat during a short circuit, the rug is a ready combustible material that will not only hide the fire but trap the heat to increase it. Furniture can rub against extension cords wearing out their protective insulation resulting in a bare wire coming into contact with a conductive or combustible material.

4. Ignoring tripped breakers. If a breaker in a panel box trips, this means the electrical circuit it protects is drawing more electricity than the wiring was designed to handle. Reduce the power load on the circuit instead of continuing to reset breakers.