On Wednesday, January 16, at 1:42 pm Salem Fire Department responded with a first alarm assignment (3 Engines, Ladder Truck, Medic Unit and Battalion Chief) to a structure fire at 3353 Willow Court SE @ Clark Creek Apartments.
Prior to 9-1-1 being called Ron Foster the tenant at 3357 Willow Ct SE had started a fire in the fire place around 1:00 pm. His upstairs neighbor, Virginia Herrera notice smoke coming out her stove vent. She called 9-1-1 and had her family evacuate.
When firefighters arrived on scene they had smoke pouring out of the west side of this two-story four-unit apartment building. A second alarm was called at 1:48 pm bringing more fire fighters and equipment to the scene.
Fire fighters had to cut into the siding to reach the fire. Fire fighters were able to extinguish the fire after the siding had been removed. It took fire fighters 18-minutes to have the fire under control. All but one apartment unit was occupied. No one was injured. None of the occupants had renters insurance.
Red Cross assisted 8 out of the 10 people ( 6 adults and 4 kids) who were misplaced from their homes.
The cause of the fire was due to heat damaged wood studs which reached ignition temperature when the fire was started in the fire place today.
The loss is estimated at $130,000 ($100,000 Structure & $30,000 Contents).