2 families displaced after fire at South Toledo apartment complex

7/20/2014

The Toledo Fire department is investigating the cause of a fire at a South Toledo apartment complex today that trapped one family in the building before they were rescued by firefighters.

The fire broke about 6:30 a.m. in an apartment on the third floor of the Arlington South Apartments, 3313 Arlington Ave., said Lt. Matthew Hertzfeld, a Toledo Fire Department spokesman.

He said it is not known if anyone was in that apartment when the fire started, but the family that lived directly across the hall could not leave the building because flames were shooting out the door and the hallway was filled with deadly smoke.

“There was zero visibility,” he said.

Lt. Hertzfeld said the two adults and two children that were trapped inside did the right thing by locking their front door and retreating to a back bedroom.

Fire crews used a ladder to bring the family down from the bedroom window. “I spoke with the family that was rescued and they were fine and thankful,” he said.

The fire also displaced two other people that lived in the building and Red Cross was on the scene assisting all the victims, Lt. Hertzfeld said.