URBANA, IL (Chambana Today) – A fire broke out late Thursday afternoon at Pointe Apartments on East Florida Avenue in Urbana, prompting a swift and extensive emergency response but resulting in no injuries or displacements.
At approximately 5:54 p.m., the Urbana Fire Department was dispatched to the 1600 block of East Florida Avenue for a report of a grass fire near the building. Moments later, a second 911 call confirmed that the structure itself was on fire. Urbana Engine 252 arrived within three minutes and reported visible flames from the east side of the apartment building, prompting a declaration of a working fire.
Urbana’s Battalion Chief arrived shortly thereafter and called for a second alarm. Crews quickly located heavy fire in the attic and aggressively worked to open the space for extinguishment. Search teams swept the building for any occupants or hidden fire.
Roughly 35 personnel from the Urbana and Champaign Fire Departments, Urbana Police Department, and Arrow Ambulance were involved in the response. The fire was under control within 20 minutes of the first engine’s arrival.
Investigators determined the cause of the blaze to be improperly discarded smoking materials, which ignited mulch and vegetation before spreading into the building’s structure. While the full extent of property damage has not yet been determined, officials confirmed there were no injuries and no residents were displaced.