No injuries were reported when a Lafayette apartment burned on Hummingbird Lane.
Firefighters say they were called to the 100 block of Hummingbird Lane around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday night.
A resident called 911 after her smoke alarm woke her up and she saw smoke coming from the HVAC vents of her apartment. Firefighters found the fire between the ceiling and the subfloor for the upstairs apartment, and were able to bring it under control within 15 minutes.
The void space between the two apartments sustained heavy fire damage. The first-floor apartment sustained water and smoke damage. As a result of the fire damage, two apartments were no longer habitable.
The occupant who reported the fire indicated that she was asleep when the smoke alarm activated. She noticed smoke coming from the vents in her bedroom. Shortly after, flames were emitting through the vents. She immediately called 911 and alerted the other occupants of the adjoining apartments. No one was injured.
Fire officials determined the fire originated in the void space above the HVAC system. The heater was “on” at the time of the fire. An apparent malfunction within the heating components contributed to the fire. The cause of the fire was ruled an accident.
