Austintown apartment fire sends woman to burn unit


By Elise Franco

efranco@vindy.com

Austintown

An early-morning fire sent one person to the hospital and displaced at least 12 families.

Andy Frost III, Austintown assistant fire chief, said the elderly resident at 1031 Compass West called in the fire about 1:25 a.m. Wednesday.

Frost said the woman was able to tell dispatchers that her apartment was on fire before the line went dead.

“They found heavy fire in that apartment,” he said. “Our guys went in and made the rescue, then went back in to extinguish the fire.”

He said the fire was under control in about 20 minutes.

The woman, who was unresponsive when firefighters entered the apartment, suffered smoke inhalation and burns, Frost said.

She was taken by helicopter to the Akron Burn Unit, and Frost said her condition and identity hadn’t been released as of late Wednesday afternoon.

Frost said 12 families were evacuated from the building. No other injuries were reported.

The blaze is still under investigation, Frost said.

He said the property damage totaled about $20,000, and the content damage was about $10,000.