Retirement community fire requires 3-alarm response from OKCFD

OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — What started as a stove-top fire in one apartment at a midtown retirement center Saturday ended with the Oklahoma City Fire Department calling for a 3-alarm response involving multiple crews.

The four-story Wesley Village Retirement Community at 300 Northwest 12th Street specializes in housing those who are 62 and up with efficiency and one-bedroom apartments.

A cooking fire in just one apartment spread to furniture in the unit and created a smoke hazard for the older residents in the building at the time.

“A sprinkler head had activated prior to fire department arrival and confined the fire to the room of origin. It was still necessary for firefighters to complete fire extinguishment of some of the room contents,” said Battalion Chief Benny Fulkerson.

“A 3-alarm response was requested for additional staffing for several needs; to assist with possible evacuation, to assist with any possible patient evaluation from potential smoke inhalation, for smoke removal of all floors, and for water removal from the first floor,” Fulkerson said.

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An EMBARK bus was requested to come to the site of a fire at Wesley Village Retirement Community in midtown to keep residents warm after exiting the building because of smoke. (provided by OKCFD)

OKCFD called for an EMBARK bus to come to the scene to protect residents from the cold as firefighters assisted their exit from building as smoke drifted to all four floors.

The resident of the apartment where the fire began was checked for smoke inhalation and ended up being transported to a local hospital “for further evaluation.”

No other injuries were reported. There were no damage estimates given at the time.


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