A single smoke detector going off was the first indication anyone had of what turned out to be a fatal fire at the Winton Gardens Towers apartment building on East Main Street.
Firefighters investigating reports of the alarm began to receive calls reporting the odor of smoke on the upper floors, although the building’s alarm system did not activate. Firefighters noticed smoke coming from some upper floor windows. Moments later, they found a bedroom fire in one of the apartments on the 10th floor.
Crews quickly knocked down the fire and discovered a woman in the bedroom. Paramedics rushed her out of the apartment, but found she had died. Other tenants were able to safely remain in their apartments.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.