Early Morning Apartment Fire in Downtown Area

Rapid City, S.D. - An early morning fire in a five-unit apartment building resulted in no injuries, but has displaced seven occupants.

At 5:49 am, units from three Rapid City Fire Department stations responded to a report of a structure fire at 1018 Columbus St. in Rapid City. When crews arrived six minutes later, they noted heavy smoke coming from windows and a door on the top floor of a two-story apartment building. Flames were visible from at least one upstairs window.

Crews entered the building and encountered heavy smoke and high heat. It took them about 15 minutes to knock-down the visible flames. Additional crews made entry into adjacent apartments to notify residents and help them to evacuate the building.

Crews found that fire had extended into the walls and the attic. Operations to overhaul- a process to find hidden fire and heat- were extensive. Crews were on scene until just after 9 am to complete that process.

Fire damage was limited to the apartment where the fire is believed to have started and the adjacent hallway. Significant clean-up of smoke and water damage will be required throughout the rest of the building. For that reason, all occupants of the structure will be displaced, at-least temporarily. The American Red Cross, serving Central and Western South Dakota, was on scene and is assisting all occupants with immediate needs.

The Rapid City Fire Department was also assisted by Montana Dakota Utilities, Black Hills Energy, the Rapid City Police Department and Pennington County Search and Rescue.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Rapid City Fire Department Fire and Life Safety Division.

There were no civilian or fire service injuries reported.

The Rapid City Fire Department would like to take the opportunity to remind you that working smoke alarms and a well-practiced escape plan are essential to help keep you and your loved ones safe in the event of a fire. Smoke alarms should be tested monthly and replaced every ten years. It is also important to have and practice an escape plan. An escape plan should include two ways out of every room in the home as well as a meeting place. Practice your plan at least twice per year.

Please contact Rapid City Fire Department Public Information Officer Lt. Jim Bussell at (605)-394-4180 with questions related to this release.

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Firefighters look for hot spots in the “overhaul” process. The smoke and heat line is clearly visible on the walls either side of the firefighter pictured. This is a clear illustration of why it is important to stay low and evacuate quickly whenever there is a fire in your home. This is the hallway where crews entered to extinguish the fire.

Firefighters work to locate hot spots in the “overhaul” process. During this process, heat spotters, thermal imaging cameras (TIC) and even the senses are used to locate hidden heat. Careful consideration is paid to limiting damage and conserving property.