Apartment fire near mall displaces six people, two pets

Six people and two pets were displaced Sunday after a fire damaged two apartment units near Vancouver Mall.

Firefighters from the Vancouver Fire Department were dispatched at 4:11 p.m. to the fire, at the Indian Hills apartments, 7911 N.E. Loowit Loop, Vancouver firefighter Darrin Deming said. When firefighters arrived a few minutes later, they found flames blowing out of the back of one unit, and thick smoke inside the building, he said.

Firefighters “made an aggressive attack and were able to put the fire out pretty quickly,” Deming said. It took about 20 minutes, he said.

While examining the building, firefighters found that flames in the attic of the unit were starting to spread to a neighboring unit. The second unit didn’t sustain much damage, but it was enough to displace the people living there for a short time, Deming said.

About 20 Vancouver firefighters responded to the fire, and police responded to direct traffic.

Smoke from the fire was reportedly visible from the Vancouver Mall parking lot, according to reports on social media.

The American Red Cross was sent to the scene to provide temporary lodging and other assistance to the four adults, two children and two pets who were displaced, the organization said in a news release.