7 displaced, 2 hospitalized in North College Hill fire

NORTH COLLEGE HILL, Ohio (WXIX) - Seven people are displaced from an overnight apartment fire in North College Hill including two adults who were rushed to the hospital, fire officials say.

Firefighters used a ladder to rescue one of the residents hospitalized for smoke inhalation, an elderly woman trapped on the second floor, according to Fire Lt Kyle Scales.

Both residents are expected to make full recoveries, he said.

The American Red Cross responded to help the displaced families, which include three children, according to the lieutenant.

Fire crews from five departments responded to the one-alarm blaze reported at 11:58 p.m. Tuesday.

A preliminary investigation determined the fire began in a utility room in the back of one of the building’s four apartments, Lt. Scales said.

Flames destroyed that unit, he confirmed. A second unit is temporarily unlivable due to water damage.

The other two apartments in the building are vacant, according to the lieutenant.

The back utility room where the fire originated held a washer, dryer and water heater, he said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation but it is considered accidental, he said.

Investigators are checking to see if the dryer caught on fire, he confirmed.

In addition to the North College Hill Fire Department, agencies from four neighboring communities responded: Cincinnati, Springfield Township, Mt. Healthy and Colerain Township.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please click here to report it and include the headline of the story in your email.

Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.

Copyright 2023 WXIX. All rights reserved.