Apartment fire leaves two firefighters injured

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Four people, including two firefighters, were injured in a late Thursday afternoon fire at apartments on the city’s west side, the Wayne Township Fire Department says.

Fire crews were called at 5:35 p.m. Thursday to a working apartment fire with entrapment in the 7800 block of Island Club Drive. That’s at The Islands apartments just south of the Dandy Trail overpass for I-74.

One resident was taken to a hospital in serious condition, while another resident was treated at the scene.

Also, one firefighter was taken to a hospital, while another firefighter was treated at the scene.

Capt. Eric Banister told News 8 that the fire encompassed the entire third floor of the building.

Banister said, “Around back, as we were checking the back, a boater yelled up, ‘Hey, there’s someone up on the second or third floor’ that we couldn’t see because it was only 10 foot of distance between the back of the building and the water. So, he pointed out someone that needed help, so he started our efforts to throw ladders to the rear, and we pulled that person off the back.”

That person was the one taken to a hospital.

The firefighter who was taken to a hospital had helped in that rescue.

The second resident jumped off of a second-story balcony.

Several animals also were removed from the structure and escaped serious injury.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation Thursday night.