Wichita apartment fire on East Third set intentionally, authorities say

Tuesday morning’s fire at a fourplex just east of downtown Wichita appears to have been set intentionally, authorities said.

The fire was reported shortly before 8 a.m. at the fourplex in the 1400 block of East Third Street, which is between Washington and Hydraulic.

The fire was “set inside the two middle apartments,” Wichita fire Capt. Kelly Zane said.

Occupants of the two apartments weren’t home at the time but told investigators their doors were locked, Zane said.

While investigators are trying to determine how someone got inside the apartments and what was used to start the fire, he said, “We’re pretty positive it was intentional.”

Zane estimated the damage at $50,000.

Meredith O’Connor, who lives in one of the end apartments, said she heard what she thought was her neighbor’s alarm clock.

But O’Connor also smelled smoke, so she went outside the redbrick apartments and saw smoke coming from an air conditioner window unit on an apartment two doors down. She called 911.

The air conditioner wasn’t involved in the fire, Zane said. Smoke was escaping through gaps around the unit, he added.

Fire crews saw the smoke upon arrival and soon had the fire under control, Zane said.

This story was originally published October 14, 2014 at 8:13 AM with the headline "Wichita apartment fire on East Third set intentionally, authorities say."