By Jill Gosche
Online Editor
jgosche@advertiser-tribune.com
Article Photos
PHOTO BY JILL GOSCHE
Rescue personnel work at the scene of a fire that started in apartment G1 at Willow Creek Apartments Sunday night.
Firefighters from two departments extinguished a blaze at Willow Creek Apartments, 575 E. SR 18, Sunday night.
Fred Bishop, Clinton Township Volunteer Fire Department's chief, said the fire started in one of the bedrooms in apartment G1. The fire was contained to one apartment, but the rest of the building had smoke damage.
Bishop said smoke was coming out of the eaves and fire could be seen when firefighters arrived. Flames broke through glass and started going up the wall, he said.
The fire probably was out in half an hour, the chief said.
Bishop said he was unaware of any injuries.
The cause was undetermined. Bishop did not have a loss estimate and did not know how many residents were displaced. A Willow Creek Apartments representative at the scene declined to release information.
According to a release, local American Red Cross personnel responded to the fire early Monday morning to provide emergency aid to the families affected. Volunteers Ruth Stiverson, Steve Switzer and Vicki Allison-Patrick responded to the call for help, along with Fostoria/Seneca County Red Cross Director David Conley.
It states one family needed immediate food and clothing assistance and was helped at the scene. Assistance for other families was to be provided as necessary.
Personnel from Clinton Township Volunteer Fire Department, Tiffin Fire Rescue Division, Seneca County Sheriff's Office, Tiffin Police Department and Seneca Community Chaplain Corps responded to the fire.
Jacob O'Neil, a resident of apartment G6, said he was watching television when the fire broke out and he heard a resident of apartment G1 screaming about the blaze. People started knocking on doors and getting people out, he said.
At the scene, he said he knew there was damage to his apartment. He said a package of diapers in his apartment was covered in soot, and a coat that had been in the front closet was warm.
O'Neil said he planned to stay at the home of his father and stepmother for the night.
"I'm devastated," he said.
