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1 injured, dozens evacuated from apartment fire on Indy's near northwest side

Fire crews were called to the El Dorado Apartments, just east of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, shortly after 3:30 a.m. Monday.

INDIANAPOLIS — One man was injured and dozens were evacuated from an apartment fire on Indianapolis' near northwest side early Monday morning.

Indianapolis Fire Department crews responded to the El Dorado Apartments on Green Ash Court, just east of Indianapolis Motor Speedway near North Tibbs Avenue and West 21st Street, shortly after 3:30 a.m. They located a fire inside a second-floor apartment in the four-story building of 40 units.

IFD called for a second alarm at 3:46 a.m. before bringing the fire under control ten minutes later with the help of firefighters from Pike Township and Speedway.  

Roughly 50 people were evacuated from the building, IFD said, with around a dozen brought down from their balconies by firefighters on ladders.

Credit: WTHR/Frank Young

One man was slightly injured and taken to Eskenazi Hospital due to smoke inhalation.

Credit: IFD
Indianapolis Firefighters helped El Dorado Apartment residents escape their upper floor units on ladders during a fire Monday, May 9, 2022.

An IFD spokesperson said the fire was contained to one apartment, but smoke filled much of the building. A woman, her three young children and their dog escaped from the apartment where the fire started.

The woman told IFD, she has been having electrical issues inside her unit that she reported to management on several occasions. When she woke up early Monday, she noticed fire in the bedroom near an outlet that soon spread to a nearby mattress. That's when she and her family got out, pulling the fire alarm on their way.

The alarm prompted the other residents to evacuate, according to IFD.

According to IFD, the woman has lived in the building for 12 years but did not have insurance. Her family lost all their possessions in the fire.

Fire investigators tell 13News the cause of the fire is accidental and was connected to an electrical failure of a floor receptacle next to the bed.

The Red Cross and building management are working with IFD Victims Assistance to help the family.

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