A blaze that erupted in a Westwood apartment building yesterday afternoon has left three individuals hospitalized and 28 without a home, officials report. The Cincinnati Fire Department responded to calls at approximately 3:10 p.m., arriving at the scene to find the multi-family dwelling at 3482 Hazelwood Avenue with smoke billowing from the first floor. According to Local 12, the incident triggered an elevated one-alarm response due to reports of flames and potential entrapment of residents.
The effort to combat the fire required responders to quickly begin to extinguish the flames while they simultaneously searched for individuals who hadn't yet evacuated. In this pursuit, WLWT disclosed that smoke detectors were found to be operational within the building, likely aiding in preventing further harm. The Red Cross is assisting the displaced families, which consist of 15 adults and 13 children, as per the reports.
Three individuals, found to be two adults and a single child, were located inside the premises and subsequently hospitalized due to injuries related to excessive smoke inhalation. The details, shared by FOX19, confirmed that they were also being evaluated for any additional injuries. The fire's destructive force incurred an estimated $75,000 damage to the property, though no further physical injuries have been documented as of yet.
