Heater Blamed For Sparking S.W. Oklahoma City Apartment Fire

News9.com

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Firefighters evacuated several families from the Pickwick Place Apartments near I-240 and May Avenue Tuesday morning after a fire sparked in one of the apartments.

Fire crews said when they arrived heavy smoke was coming from one of the apartments. A heater is being blamed for sparking the fire.

"These units have a heating system that is in the ceiling, and they are total electric and sometimes they malfunction. The safety switch will malfunction, the heater pulls will stay on, they overheat and then they catch on fire," said Oklahoma City Battalion Chief Chris Copeland.

The mother and son who lived in the apartment weren't home when the fire started. Firefighters were able to rescue the family's puppy.