Vacant apartment building burns in Fishers

FISHERS, Ind. - Fourteen fire companies have been on the scene of a fire at the Flats at Fishers apartments at 131st and Cumberland Road in Fishers since about 5 a.m. Tuesday.

131st Street was closed at Cumberland Road for much of the morning.

The complex, a $35 million development by Ackerman Group in Cincinnati, is a cluster of three buildings that were under construction. No one lived there.

Despite frigid and challenging weather conditions for crews, no injuries have been reported.

Hamilton Southeastern Schools said at 6 a.m. that the road closure would not impact school schedules.

Firefighters say the building is C-shaped and there are a lot of factors that are making the fire difficult to combat.

"One is getting access to the fire," Capt. John Mehling with the Fishers Fire Department explained. "The building was under construction, so we're working around some things within the floors. And, we do have some wind going. It's burning and just kind of pushing the fire across.Because of the construction and the openness of it, and since all the walls were not built yet, the fire just kind of ran along the top floor and into the attic space."

For miles around, the bright orange glow of fire light up the night sky, coupled with thick clouds of smoke blanketing the area.

Nearly five dozen firefighters battled the blaze, using ladder trucks to fight the flames.

In the daylight, Chopper 13 HD shows the hollowed shell of what was to be luxury apartments with a move in date later this month.

Original post:
Vacant apartment building burns in Fishers