DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. – A fire started Wednesday morning in a Century Village apartment.
Broward County firefighters could see a large column of smoke coming from the direction of the senior living facility while they were leaving the nearby fire station on Powerline Road just after 8 a.m., Battalion Chief Michael Kane said.
Fire Station 66 on Powerline Road is adjacent to Century Village.
Firefighters extinguished the flames from the fourth-floor corner apartment in about 10 minutes.
Kane said there was minor smoke and water damage to the apartment below.
One of the residents was home at the time of the fire, heard the alarm and got out safely, Kane said.
About 60 apartments were evacuated while firefighters assessed the building and searched for any hot spots.
City commissioner and Century Village resident Bernie Parness said everyone who lives in the Oakridge V building made it out quickly and safely once the fire alarm sounded.
"They'd like to go home, but the alarm was sounded and everybody got out safe and the fire department was here very quickly and extinguished the fire," he said.
No injuries were reported.
The fire appeared to have started in the kitchen, but the cause remains under investigation.
Two people who live in apartment 4114, where the fire began, will stay with relatives for the time being because their apartment is uninhabitable.
"Clearly this incident could have been much worse, but personal tragedy was averted due to the fact that this apartment complex has working fire alarms which aided all occupants to escape safely," Kane said.