Kannapolis, NC – At around 3:30 a.m. Kannapolis firefighters responded to an apartment fire at The Villas at Forrest Park. Units arrived on scene to find smoke coming from a second floor apartment of the three story building. Arriving engine companies worked to advance hose lines to the fire floor while the first due ladder company began a search of the smoke filled apartment. While searching for victims, Ladder 14 discovered a female occupant unresponsive on the floor and immediately carried her down the stairwell and to the exterior of the building. She was transferred to the care of Cabarrus EMS and transported to a local hospital.
Fire officials credit the building’s sprinkler and alarm systems for containing the fire and alerting other occupants to evacuate. Fire and heat damage was limited to the one apartment however there was smoke in several other areas. Those affected occupants are being assisted by the American Red Cross.
Concord Fire Department assisted at the fire while an additional Cabarrus County EMS unit assisted on scene with medical monitoring of fire personnel. Landis and Odell Fire Departments assisted with station coverage.
At this time, the Kannapolis Fire Risk Deduction Division has concluded that the cause of the fire was improperly discarded smoking material.