Neighbor credited for saving lives in Lexington apartment fire

A neighbor who smelled smoke at Park Place Apartments on Tates Creek Road early Friday called 911 and helped evacuate the building before a fire was able to spread, a Lexington fire official said.

The fire began around 5 a.m. at a bottom floor unit of one of the buildings in the apartment complex, Lexington Fire Department Maj. CJ Tackett said. The resident of the unit where the fire originated was not home, Tackett said.

When the fire crews arrived, they found heavy smoke that Tackett said could have been much worse had the neighbor not immediately called 911. First responders contained the fire to the bottom and top floor units, according to Tackett.

Prior to firefighters arriving, the neighbor knocked on the door of the second-floor unit and woke the resident up before her alarm went off.

“He probably saved a lot of lives; I want to give him credit for that,” Tackett said. “He was pretty quick to react and probably helped save her getting affected by the smoke.”

The neighbor could not be reached for comment.

No injuries were reported, according to Maj. Jordan Saas. The whole building was initially evacuated, he said.

The Red Cross will help the victims of the fire find housing, Tackett said.

The cause of the fire has not been determined. Investigators remained on the scene more than two hours after the fire began Friday.

This story was originally published November 30, 2018 at 7:56 AM.