Early this morning, a fire erupted in an apartment building located at the 5900 block of Farm Pond Lane in Charlotte. The Charlotte Fire Department was on scene at approximately 5 a.m. after a report of an apartment building ablaze. Upon arrival, firefighters faced "heavy fire conditions, with fire through the roof of a three-story apartment building," as described in a social media post from the Charlotte Fire Department.
Residents of the building had already begun evacuating themselves by the time emergency services arrived. The fire department, immediately called for a second alarm, to bring more resources to the firefighting efforts. The crews were able to control the fire in about 40 minutes. Despite the severity of the situation, there were no injuries reported among the residents nor the firefighters, according to the department's statement.
Out of the building's 10 units, several were rendered uninhabitable, displacing numerous residents. In light of the incident, the apartment complex management has confirmed the availability of alternative housing arrangements within the same site for those affected. Further investigation by the Charlotte Fire Investigative Task Force located the origin of the fire within a bedroom, determining it was caused by incense that had been left burning unattended. As a result of the fire, property and content losses are estimated to value approximately $275,000.
In their statement, the Charlotte Fire Department emphasized the dangers of leaving candles, incense, and smoking materials unattended as they "are a leading cause of residential fires." They advised that such items "should never be left burning when occupants leave a room or go to sleep" and should always be placed away from combustible materials. Furthermore, the department reminded residents about the critical importance of working smoke alarms in providing early detection and thus, a safe evacuation in the event of a fire.
