Second-alarm fire at State College apartment building damages several units

An East Prospect Avenue apartment building was damaged during a Sunday morning second-alarm fire.

Upon arrival just after 8 a.m., Alpha Fire Company crews found black smoke and fire coming out of the windows of a third-floor unit at Sutton Court Apartments, according to a duty chief.

No one was in the apartment at the time but there were other occupants in the building.

To stop the fire from spreading through the attic and to other units, crews initially cut a hole above the fire and then cut a trench.

Crews had the blaze under control within an hour.

According to Alpha, several units will be uninhabitable, including the heavily damaged third-floor apartment where the fire occurred. There is water damage on the floor below and neighboring units suffered substantial smoke damage. Residents throughout the building were evacuated Sunday morning due to carbon monoxide throughout the building, but levels were monitored and residents were able to return.

Boalsburg Fire Company also responded, with Miles Township and Undine fire companies transferred to the Alpha station for standby.

Centre Region Fire Marshals are investigating the cause of the blaze.

This story was originally published May 3, 2020 at 12:37 PM.