Shortly after 8:00 p.m. on Monday, April 28th, the Coos Bay Fire Department was sent to a fire at the Empire Lakes Apartments. When fire crews arrived, they found smoke coming from the upstairs of a two story apartment. The fire was isolated to Apartment #16 at 1660 Newmark Avenue. Firefighters were able to gain entry and extinguish the fire before it was able to spread to neighboring apartments. The occupant, Elva Guevara, was not home when the fire was discovered. One of her neighbors heard the smoke alarm, saw the smoke, and called 9-1-1. The accidental fire started in the bathroom, and it appears to have been caused by an unattended hot object. No injuries were reported. The American Red Cross was called to assist the displaced occupant. The apartment complex is owned by the Northwest Real Estate Capital Corporation. The damage to the apartment is estimated to be close to $25,000. This is an excellent example of how working smoke alarms save lives and reduce property damage. Without the alertness of the neighbor, the early detection, and quick reporting, the fire could have been much worse. Take time to test your smoke alarm regularly.
