Fire damages two units at Emma’s Place Apartments

Firefighters were called to the scene about 9 p.m.

Chief Daryl Baker said flames were pouring out of the lower unit in the building near the office and laundry room. The fire had worked its way up the outside wall, into the breezeway and then into the attic on top of the two-story building.

Firefighters made entry into the upper floor apartment, going through the ceiling to get at the fire in the attic.

“We hit it and knocked it down really quick,” Baker said.

“We stopped it there,” he said, noting neither of the apartments on the backside of the building was damaged by the fire.

“Both of those units suffered smoke damage, but the residents were able to return to them that night,” Baker said.

Baker added that the fire displaced four people, two from each of the affected units.

While it only took a few minutes to knock down the flames, Baker said firefighters were on the scene for more than an hour-and-a-half performing salvage and overhaul.

The last units cleared the scene at 11:04 p.m.

Baker said the fire did start in the stove area of the lower apartment. One of the residents said he was cooking French fries on the stove when the fire broke out.

“He said there was a short in the stove,” Baker said, adding there is nothing to indicate arson.

Corbin Fire department brought its ladder truck to stand by. Ambulance Inc. of Laurel County and the American Red Cross also responded to the scene.