Just days before the holidays, a fire devastated units of the Arthur Commons condominiums, 9940 Arthur Lane. The plume of smoke was visible from surrounding roads as residents, onlookers and first responders alike rushed to the scene on Dec. 22.
The fire burned through portions of the roof on the upper right-hand side of the row of condominiums, as well as much of the second-floor landing. According to the Mehlville Fire Protection District, responders received a call about the fire at 1:50 p.m. and responded shortly after.
Staff from Concord Animal Hospital were present to help with pets who had been stuck in the burning condominiums. One resident says his guinea pig was extracted by the fire department, but that responders did not find his three cats — he anticipates that they were hiding beneath the bed. He lives on the other side of the building from the fire.
“I went to Schnucks to get cat food,” the resident said. “I was gone for fifteen minutes, and a whole half of the building is on fire.”
On the scene, Concord Animal Hospital staff said that at least one individual had been carried away on a stretcher, but other than that, there appeared to be no initial injuries. MFPD later confirmed that one person had been transported to Mercy South for minor smoke inhalation.
According to MFPD, the cause of the fire is currently unknown. Red Cross has been contacted via MFPD dispatchers to aid residents who were displaced by the fire.
Online, those affected, or their friends, have taken to GoFundMe, hoping to raise money to cushion the blow to the families and individuals who lost their homes to the fire.
“I am fundraising for my friends, Aden and Amina. Tragically, their lives were turned upside down when their apartment complex was destroyed in a fire caused by a neighbor’s Christmas lights that short-circuited,” one GoFundMe reads. The St. Louis County Police Department has not yet confirmed with The Call the cause of the fire. “The fire spread quickly, leaving the family with nothing. While they are grateful to have escaped without physical injury, all of their belongings were lost.”
One resident posted to GoFundMe, “Many personal belongings were affected, and the cost of cleanup, repairs and temporary living arrangements has quickly become overwhelming. Insurance will help with some expenses, but it does not cover everything, and the out-of-pocket costs are already adding up.”
According to the St. Louis County Police Department, the investigation is ongoing, though the fire is not believed to be criminal in nature.
Details and the cause of the fire are currently unknown. This is a developing story.
