Crews battle fire at Lincoln apartment building
A three-story apartment building in southwest Lincoln wasevacuated after a fire Friday evening.
The fire at 3250 S. 12th St., Building C, was reported justafter 7 p.m. Lincoln fire and Rescue crews, which reported seeingsmoke on approach, needed about 20 minutes to bring the fire undercontrol, Battalion Chief Doug Staberg said.
No injuries were reported.
Officials said the fire started in a ground-floor apartment ofthe 18-unit brick building. fire damage was contained to the firstand second floors, although there was smoke throughout.
Norman Whistler said the fire started in his bathroom.
Whistler, who had lived in the apartment 16 years, at firstthought it was a heater smoking in his living room. so he turnedoff the heater and opened his apartment door, he said.
Denise Shiffermiller, a neighbor passing through the hall, sawthe smoke and urged Whistler to leave, she said.
Whistler initially refused to leave, and Shiffermiller went toanother apartment to get help and began warning people of the fire,she said.
As the smoke worsened, Whistler said he decided to leave theapartment, but then returned to get his money. it was then he foundhis bathroom had erupted in flames.
The fire was started by recently smoked cigarettes discarded ina plastic bucket, Lincoln fire investigator Don gross said.
Whistler said he used a fire extinguisher but was unable to putout the flames.
Meanwhile, Shiffermiller continued warning her neighbors of thefire, she said.
Soon a handful of people, including Scott Larson, were goingdoor to door warning people to get out of the building.
“This is your worst fear living in an apartment,” Larsonsaid.
Gross estimates damages at $50,000 to the building and $12,000to contents.
At least two of the apartments were damaged to the point ofbeing uninhabitable: the apartment the fire started in and the onedirectly above it, he added.
The Red Cross offered services to those unable to return totheir homes.
