A duplex fire early on Sunday morning kept Manhattan Fire Department crews busy for several hours. Shortly after 1 a.m., the Manhattan Fire Department was dispatched to 1533 Williamsburg Drive for a report of a structure fire. Crews arrived on scene of the two-story duplex and found smoke showing on one side of the structure. Crews made entry and quickly knocked down the fire. Two occupants of 1533 Williamsburg were home at the time of the fire and were able to exit prior to arrival of fire crews. Riley County Emergency Medical Service transferred one occupant was transported to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. The connecting residence, 1546 Williamsburg Court, was occupied by six occupants at the time of the fire and they were able to exit without injury. A total of 15 firefighters responded on 5 fire apparatus.
Crews were dispatched to the same residence again at 8:10 a.m. after receiving a report of smoke coming out a second story window.
Crews attempted to extinguish the fire from the interior but were unsuccessful due to the structure being compromised from the earlier fire. After about one hour on scene crews were able to contain the fire from a defensive position. The fire remains under investigation at this time.
The residence of 1533 Williamsburg Drive was unoccupied at the time of this fire. The residence received a total estimated loss of $100,000 to the contents and $309,000 to the structure. The occupants of this address are displaced and being assisted by Red Cross. The owner is listed as John and Jolene Cameron of Manhattan.
The connecting residence of 1546 Williamsburg Court was occupied at the time of the second fire and the occupants were able to exit without injury. Damage estimates to this structure are listed $25,000 to contents and $50,000 to the structure. The owner is listed as David J. Carpenter of Manhattan.
The cause of the fire is under investigation at this time.
At 10:59 a.m., while still on scene of the Williamsburg Drive fire, crews were paged for a structure fire at 5406 Holden Court. Crews arrived on scene of a single story wood frame structure with nothing showing. Upon gaining entry crews found smoke throughout the structure from a basement fire that had been extinguished.
The structure was unoccupied at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported. The owner is listed as Jacinta Hoyt of the same address. The residences received an estimated $25,000 to the contents and $75,000 to the structure. The cause of this fire is also under investigation at this time.
