JOHNSON COUNTY —Investigators say improper discard of smoking material is to blame for the fire at the Meadowlark Hills Apartments in the 9100 Block of Robinson in Overland Park.
Investigators believe a cigarette put out in a rusted through coffee can allowed fire to ignite a deck and eventually an exterior wall at the two story apartment building.
Just before 4:30a.m. crews from Overland Park and Lenexa responded to the apartment complex. First arriving units saw smoke coming from the building. Residents were able to safely escape. A second alarm was called for additional manpower. The fire was located primarily in an exterior wall and required significant work to dig out. It took crews almost 90 minutes to put the fire out.
There were no injuries. Twelve people are displaced from the six apartment units. The cause is being ruled accidental. Fire officials reminded the public to completely extinguish smoking materials in sand or water before discarding.