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A candle is believed to be the cause of an early-morning fire that sent four people to the hospital and caused the evacuation of 12 apartments Friday.
Around 1:09 a.m. Friday, Kosciusko County Central Dispatch received a call about a fire at Lakeland Villa Apartments, 200 N. Chamberlain Drive, Warsaw.
Nita Newsome and her three children, Alexus, 9; Jacob, 8; and Chandler, 4, suffered smoke inhalation and were taken to Kosciusko Community Hospital where they were treated and released.
When the Warsaw Fire Department arrived at the scene, flames were coming from windows in Apartments 222 and 232. Firefighters entered the apartments and found no occupants inside before taking hose lines in to extinguish the blaze in the apartments and attic areas.
Water and smoke damage caused 11 families to be displaced from their homes.
Fire officials believe the fire started in a bedroom where a candle was burning.
According to the Warsaw building commissioner, it is not known if the building will be repaired or torn down.
Firefighters were at the scene until noon Friday investigating the blaze and helping residents.
The Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department and the Warsaw Police Department helped evacuate the residents of the building, while the Warsaw and Winona Lake fire departments extinguished the flames. Multi-Township EMS, Plain Township EMS and the American Red Cross assisted at the scene as well.
