Tuesday's fatal fire at Polo Run Apartments, 126 Manor Lane, reportedly started in the first-floor common area of one building in the complex and involved toxic smoke from a sofa, Hot Springs police said Wednesday.
The victim has yet to be identified due to the extent of the fire-related injuries he suffered, Cpl. Kirk Zaner said.
"As he tried to escape, we believe he came down the stairs and was overcome by the toxic fumes in the common area, collapsed and subsequently died. His body was burned by the fire," he said.
"This is still being investigated. The fire marshal will determine whether it is arson or not. If it is determined that this is an arson fire, due to the death of this person, then it will become a criminal matter," Zaner said.
City inspectors have been to the apartment complex "probably 15 times" in the last three to five years on violations that include missing smoke detectors, Mike Scott, the city's chief building official and community development administrator, said Wednesday afternoon.
The violations, which have also included leaking roofs, bedbugs and plumbing issues, are "typical stuff with larger apartment complexes."
"We were just there Monday with some plumbing issues that they had on one of the buildings. It's a constant battle there. It's that way a lot of times with a lot of large complexes like that, and that's one of our larger ones."
Scott said the complex is made up of several different buildings. The building where the fatality occurred has been closed. Scott said that building's electrical service has been disconnected, and the power won't be reconnected until "everything is clean and inspected and brought up to code in that one entire building."
The remainder of the buildings in the complex can still be occupied, Scott said, unless city inspectors find life safety violations, and "then we'll have to close those units down."
"We'll go through every apartment there and make sure they're all brought up to code. We'll just have to take our time. It might take several inspectors a week or so to go through every room. We'll have to go through every room and make sure the smoke detectors are in place; make sure the minimum living requirements are met," Scott said.
Hot Springs police received a call about a structure fire at Polo Run at around 5:37 p.m. Tuesday. Two officers were reportedly on the scene within less than 60 seconds and the lower portion of the building was fully engulfed in flames, Zaner said.
"Hot Springs Fire Department got on scene and by this time there were numerous residents hanging out of the windows. This is a three-story building. One woman did jump from the third story of the building and injured her leg in the fall," Zaner said.
The fire reportedly began in the common area of the building and involved a sofa that was made of a material that quickly became engulfed in flames while putting off toxic fumes and heavy smoke, he said.
Two unidentified bystanders reportedly "climbed the wall like Spider-Man" using the pipes on the outside of the building, and helped people evacuate from second and third story windows, a witness at the scene told The Sentinel-Record Tuesday night. Others were evacuated by Hot Springs firefighters.
According to the Red Cross, five local Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers, along with Disaster Program Specialist Andrea Sellers, responded and provided care to the five families directly impacted by the apartment fire.
"Emergency assistance for temporary lodging, food and clothing needs was provided to five families affected by the fire. Comfort kits containing personal care items were also provided, along with referrals to The Salvation Army, Abilities Unlimited, and Jackson House for further assistance. We offered health services and mental health support, if needed, to any of the families impacted," said Debbie Ugbade, disaster assistance community liaison for the Red Cross.
Local on 03/29/2018