Investigation continues into cause of Toledo apartment fire that displaced dozens

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Toledo firefighters say 25-30 people are without a home after the Tanglewood apartment complex went up in flames Wednesday afternoon.

It’s hard to believe when you see the destruction that there were no injuries to firefighters or residents. There were no reports of any pets being hurt either.

The apartment manager told 13abc there are 16 units in the building with two bedrooms and two bathrooms each, and 14 of them had people living in them on the day of the fire.

Firefighters believe the blaze may have started outside in the back of the building and then quickly engulfed the entire structure. The apartment manager said the building passed a routine inspection Wednesday morning. The official cause is still under investigation. The investigation will be extensive and could be lengthy.

The building will likely need to be torn down, according to Pvt. Sterling Rahe, a Toledo Fire & Rescue Department spokesman. Crews were still at the apartment building as of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, more than eight hours after the fire started. They’re expected to be there overnight as they continue to put out hot spots.

“We were able to work with the building management company, the Red Cross assisted, and we were able to account for everybody,” Rahe said.

According to Rahe, the time of the fire also helped crews get everyone out safely. Unlike an overnight fire, people were either up or out of their apartments.

If you would like to help the victims, you can make a cash donation to The American Red Cross. Physical items are not being accepted right now.

According to the Red Cross, there is a fire in northwest Ohio every 19 hours. This also serves as a reminder to check your smoke alarms, and have a plan in place to get out of your home if there is ever a fire. Experts say it is also important to practice that escape plan.

If you would like to donate to help those displaced by the fire, you can go to RedCross.org.

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