Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era

Fire routs apartment dwellers
BY JENNIFER TODD, Staff Writer

Nearby firefighters quickly extinguished a fire at a Lancaster city apartment building Monday evening.

The blaze broke out around 5 p.m. at 424 W. King St., directly across the street from city fire Station No. 1.

A passerby spotted the blaze and ran to the station, fire Capt. Jeffrey Oatman said.

Oatman said the fire started in a hallway of the two-story building, which houses five apartments.

He said fire damage was contained to the hallway but that most of the units sustained smoke damage.

None of the 13 residents were able to stay in their apartments Monday night because utilities to the structure were shut off as a result of the fire, Oatman said.

Four people were being assisted by the American Red Cross.

Oatman said the cause of the blaze is under investigation by city and state police fire marshals.

He estimated damage at $30,000.

jtodd@lnpnews.com