Man and cat rescued from apartment in Sunday night fire on Lind

QUINCY — An infrared heater too close to combustible materials led to an apartment fire on the city’s north side Sunday night.

Just before 11:30 p.m., Quincy Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 1120 Lind Street with
Engine No. 2, Engine No. 4, Engine No. 6 and the Incident Commander, followed by Engine No. 5. Several Quincy Police Department officers arrived on scene first and assisted in making sure all other occupants were out of the apartment building.

Fire was coming from a first floor window and heavy smoke from a second floor window where a man was trapped in his apartment. Observed smoke coming from a second floor window and fire coming from a first floor window. Members of Company 4 rescued the trapped victim as Company 2 attacked the fire.

Adams County EMS crew attended to the victim and he was taken to Blessing Hospital.

Crews continued to work on putting out the fire, looking for its spread and a search for more potential victims. The crew of Company 6 also conducted a search of the apartments on the south side of the building while members of Company 5 arrived on scene and was assigned to do a secondary search of
the apartments on the north side. While no more people were found, a cat was rescued from a second floor, smoke filled, apartment.

An additional ambulance arrived on scene to hold the other occupants of the apartment building until a bus could be delivered. Quincy Transit Lines delivered a small bus to shelter the occupants of the apartment building to keep them warm and dry. American Red Cross was notified as well as The Salvation Army to assist in temporary housing while Quincy’s Animal Control Officer responded to the scene to attend to five displaced dogs and a cat. Central Service employees transported the displaced occupants to The Salvation Army for overnight lodging.

Fire Investigators and QPD Officers began working the scene and conducted interviews shortly after the fire was extinguished. Fire Investigators determined that the cause of the fire was an infrared heater which came in contact with combustible materials.

The building is the former headquarters of the Quincy Potato Chip Company.