A tragic apartment fire in Independence, Missouri claimed the lives of a family of four on Wednesday night. The fire department confirmed that the fire was caused by a stovetop left unattended by the tenant. Despite efforts to extinguish the fire, it quickly spread throughout the complex, trapping the family inside.
Fire Chief Jimmy Walker stated that the fire spread rapidly, resulting in heavy damage to the building. The rescue efforts were complicated by the building starting to collapse, forcing firefighters to retreat.
Residents of the complex, like Tim Gardner, were shocked and saddened by the tragedy. Gardner described waking up to see the flames and expressed sympathy for the families of the victims. Walker emphasized the importance of fire safety, urging people to never leave cooking unattended and recommending closing doors in case of a fire.
The community is mourning the loss of four lives and coming to terms with the devastating impact of the fire. Independence police are working to contact the family of the deceased as investigations continue into the cause of the fire.
Source
Photo credit fox4kc.com