Charlotte Fire Department

Charlotte Fire Department

News Media After Action Report

Report # 021109-016

RE: 3rd Alarm Apartment Fire / 7701 Creekridge Rd/ Creekwood Apartments

Benchmarks
Dispatched – 5:54 am
First CFD Unit Arrives – 5:58 am (Engine 29)
Control Time – 7:09 am

CFD Personnel/Units
CFD – 60/ 17
1st Alarm> Battalion 4, 7, Engines 29, 3, 23, 19, Ladder 29, Rescue 3, 2nd Alarm> Battalion 1, Engines 14, 8, 64, Ladder 23, 3rd Alarm> Engines 6, 39, 1, Ladder 1, Charlotte Fire Investigation Task Force

Structure/ Location
2 & 3 story apartment building of wood frame construction

Cause & Origin/ Damage Estimates
Cause ruled accidental, and attributed to carelessly discarded smoking material in a garbage bag placed on a wood deck. Damages estimates were set at approximately $400K.

Injuries/Accidents
Three Charlotte Firefighters were injured while engaged in fire suppression activities. They were transported and treated for non-life-threatening injuries at area medical facilities. One FF assigned to E-15 was treated and released for a foot injury, the second FF assigned to E-14 was treated and released for a knee injury, and the third FF assigned to Rescue 3 is being treated for a medical condition and remains hospitalized.

Smoke Alarm
A Smoke Alarm was present and operated

Evacuations/ Persons Displaced
There were a total of 20 units in the building and at least 5 units suffered extensive damage. Several had water or insulation damage, several had minimal to no damage and one unit was vacant. The Red Cross is working with property management personnel to place affected residents in other vacant apartments at The Creekwood Apartments or other complexes owned by the company.

Incident Synopsis
Just before 6 am Wednesday morning FF’s responded to multiple reports of an apartment fire at the Creekwood Apartments in East Charlotte. FF’s from nearby Fire Stations 29 & 3 arrived and reported heavy fire and smoke conditions involving this multi-family dwelling. Because of the heavy fire conditions the Incident Commander requested additional resources resulting in a 3rd Alarm assignment. In all approximately 60 firefighters were called to the scene. It took FF’s a little more than hour to control the fire and there were no injuries to civilians to report. Three FF’s were injured and transported to area medical facilities with non-life-threatening injuries. Charlotte Fire Investigators were able to determine the fire began on a wood deck and was caused by carelessly discarded smoking material. Numerous residents were displaced and the fire caused extensive damage estimated at $400K.

#END # CFD – PIO - MB