COLUMBUS, Ohio — Three people, including a child, were critically injured after a two-alarm fire tore through an apartment building on the east side of Columbus early Wednesday morning.
According to the Columbus Division of Fire, crews were dispatched to the 1900 block of Bairsford Drive shortly after 2 a.m. A Columbus police officer who was already in the area arrived within moments of the call and helped firefighters rescue several residents from the burning building.
Two adults and one child were transported to the hospital in critical condition.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as flames quickly engulfed portions of the apartment complex. Neighbors and first responders worked together to help residents escape the building, while firefighters battled the blaze and searched for additional occupants.
A dog was also safely rescued from the apartments.
Fire officials said part of the first floor collapsed during the incident, creating challenges for crews as they worked to extinguish the fire and begin investigating its cause.
No firefighters were injured.
The American Red Cross is assisting approximately 25 residents who were displaced by the fire.
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
