One injured in Columbia apartment fire

Columbia firefighters said working smoke detectors alerted residents of a fire in a Columbia apartment Friday night, and they were all able to evacuate.

Firefighters were called to 3310 Jamesdale Road just before midnight for reports of a building on fire.

When crews first arrived, they saw heavy flames coming from the second story of a fourplex apartment building.

Firefighters were advised that tenants might have still been inside at the time. Crews then upgraded the response to a second alarm, calling for more units and firefighters to help.

In total, nine units from the Columbia Fire Department responded.

All residents were later accounted for, and the firefighters got the fire under control in about 20 minutes.

The fire was contained in unit 201, but there was water damage in the unit below.

Firefighters said one person was injured after stepping on glass, but there were no other injuries.

Assistant Fire Marshal Shawn McGruder was called to the scene to investigate the origin and cause of the fire. McGruder found that the fire started in the living room of unit 201, and started because of improperly discarded smoking material.

The damage estimate hasn’t been determined.

Fire officials said that The Red Cross is helping some of the residents who were displaced because of the fire.