UPDATE 1:35 p.m. December 15, 2020
HUTCHINSON, Kan.— The origin and cause of the fire at 628 North Monroe on Monday night was a space heater too close to combustibles. The heater caught a blanket on fire. The fire spread to the rest of the structure.
The Hutchinson Fire Department reminds the public that space heaters should be a minimum of three feet away from anything combustible. Space heaters should also be plugged directly into a wall outlet and not into an extension cord. Space heaters should never be left on when residents are sleeping. Also, be sure to test smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to be sure they are working properly.
The original story is below:
HUTCHINSON, Kan.— For the second time in as many nights, Hutchinson Fire Crews had to respond to a structure fire. The call came out just after 7 p.m. in the 600 block of North Monroe.
According to Fire Chief Steve Beer, the blaze started in the basement of the two story structure that is divided into four apartments. The blaze made its way from the basement all the way to the attic. There were five individuals and several pets in the complex at the time of the fire.
No injuries were reported to the residents or fire fighters.
The fire did extensive damage to most of the structure. The cause of the blaze has not been determined at this time.