KANNAPOLIS — A woman was hospitalized Saturday after firefighters found her lying on the floor of her burning apartment.
The woman’s name and condition were unknown this morning.
Around 3:30 a.m. Saturday, the Kannapolis Fire Department responded to a call at The Villas at Forest Park off Little Texas Road. Crews found smoke coming from a second-floor apartment in the three-story building.
As engine companies worked to get hoses to the second floor, a ladder company searched the smoke-filled apartment. They discovered the female occupant unresponsive on the floor and carried her to a waiting ambulance.
Officials say the building’s sprinkler and alarm systems contained the fire and alerted other occupants to evacuate. Fire and heat damage was limited to the one apartment, but several areas sustained smoke damage. The Red Cross is assisting affected renters.
Fire investigators have concluded that “improperly discarded smoking material” caused the fire, a news release said.
The Concord Fire Department assisted at the scene, while the Landis and Odell departments assisted with station coverage. A Cabarrus EMS unit remained on the scene for medical monitoring of firefighters.