Investigators are looking for the cause of a fire that killed a Plain City woman.
About 8:31 p.m. Sunday, the Pleasant Valley Joint Fire District received numerous 911 calls notifying the fire department of a structure on fire in the Pleasant Valley Colony Apartments.
Witnesses report hearing a series of loud explosions, then seeing the smoke and flames.
Chief Mark Kidd of the Pleasant Valley Joint Fire District said firefighters arrived, “minutes later.”
Kidd said firefighters found “heavy fire extending from both the front and back of the building.”
The chief said firefighters made “an aggressive attack.”
He said that as they were fighting the fire, his crews were also searching the apartments.
Plain City Police Chief Dale McKee said officers from his department arrived on scene quickly and worked to evacuate residents, many with mobility issues.
Kidd said that once the fire was contained, firefighters discovered that the resident of the primary residence, a 73-year-old female, died.
Kidd said the woman was, “unable to escape the smoke and flames and perished in the incident.”
The deceased woman was transported to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office for autopsy. While the family has been notified by the Plain City Police Department, Kidd said the victim’s name is being withheld “pending proper notification of the family.”
Kidd said more than 50 firefighters from Jerome, Washington, Norwich, Concord and Jefferson township fire departments as well as the Marysville Division of Fire assisted on the scene.
Pleasant Valley Colony Apartments is an affordable apartment community for seniors.
Kidd said he believes this is the first fatal fire in the more than 28-year history of the PVJFD.