Apartment fire hits Ward Avenue building

Firefighters extinguished a two-alarm fire Tuesday that broke out in a sixth-floor apartment of a 14-floor condominium building on the slopes of Punchbowl.

Nine fire companies responded to the fire reported shortly before 10:40 a.m. at 1520 Ward Ave. The blaze was reported as under control at 10:49 a.m. and out at 10:54 a.m.

There were no reports of any injuries in the fire, which was contained to one unit. One elderly woman in the unit was able to evacuate without injury.

The Fire Department fire investigator determined that the fire started accidentally in the kitchen. Damage to the structure and contents was estimated at $20,000. The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced occupant.

Renovation work takes blame for blaze

Fire investigators say renovation work on an unoccupied two-story Chinatown building on North King Street sparked a fire Monday night causing an estimated $15,000 in damage.

The fire was reported at 6:01 p.m. at 118 N. King St., once the location of Eastern Food Center, which closed at the end of February.