A two-alarm fire that 911 callers said may have started with an explosion heavily damaged a building at the Alder Creek Apartments in east Vancouver Monday evening.
The fire was reported at 8:37 p.m. in the D building at the complex, 11614 N.E. 49th St., in the Orchards area. Eight engines, three ladder trucks and other firefighting units were dispatched to the fire.
The first firefighters to arrive used ladders to reach residents who were trapped in their apartments, according to emergency radio traffic monitored at The Columbian. Paramedics were evaluating and treating at least one person.
Firefighters were able to knock down the initial fire in about 20 minutes, but radioed that it had extended into a common attic. Sixteen apartments are in the D building, which has two stories.
