Senior Citizen Critically Injured in Apartment Fire

On Friday, November 24, 2006, at 12:38 PM, firefighters and paramedics from the Clinton area were alerted for an automatic alarm activation from an apartment building in the Clinton Manor Apartment Complex.  Fire/EMS Units responded to 8500 Mike Shapiro Drive, a 4-story senior citizen apartment building, and discovered a fire in a third floor apartment.  As additional fire/EMS units were still responding, firefighters from Clinton Fire/EMS Station 25 stretched handlines and conducted a primary search and rescue.  A senior citizen female resident was located in the apartment of origin by firefighters and removed from the building to awaiting paramedics.  She was transported to a Burn Unit suffering from smoke inhalation and critical burns to the lower half of her body.  The apartments are equipped with automated sprinkler systems, which held the fire in check until firefighters arrived and completely extinguished the fire.  Firefighters believe a cigarette ignited a fire on the mobility-challenged patients clothing.  The aggressive and well-coordinated efforts of the first arriving units resulted in the rescue of a critically injured female, confined the fire to the area of origin and had the fire completely extinguished in less than 5 minutes.  Fire loss is estimated at $5,000.  No additional displacements were necessary.