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Last updated on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
(COLUMBUS) - The Columbus Fire Department is investigating an apartment fire that took place shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday on 803 Chestnut Street.
According to a fire department press release, the fire started in the west bedroom of apartment 3 which was an upstairs unit.
Shelly Olmstead lives in that unit with her brother, Joshua Olmstead, and Stephanie Lark.
Fire officials says when the fire started, Stephanie heard her brother yell for her to get out of the house and call 911 because the house was on fire.
Columbus Police found Joshua Olmstead outside the house when they arrived and called for medical assistance for burns to the right side of his head and body.
When firefighters arrived, flames were extending out the large windows on the front of the house. All of the tenants in the other three apartments in the building escaped or weren't home at the time.
At the fire, command officials rotated crews in and out of the scene so there was fresh units to continue tasks being performed and so no individual crew became exhausted.
Medics from Columbus Regional remained on the scene and kept tabs on the firefighters and stood by in case of any other injuries.
The Red Cross responded and helped all nine residences and supplied water to the firefighters.
Animal control came to the scene and took temporary possession of two of the tenants dogs because the hotel the family will be staying at can't take them. Animal control also removed the Olmstead's pet cat which perished in the fire.
No other injuries were reported. Damage has been estimated at $80,000 and the cause is under investigation by the fire department and detectives from the Columbus Police Department.
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