Fire near ventilation fan damages two Cedar Rapids apartments

A fire near a ventilation fan damaged two apartments at a northwest Cedar Rapids apartment complex.

Firefighters responded to Shadowood Apartments, 2160 Edgewood Road NW around 5 p.m. when one resident returned to her apartment and noticed that the electricity did not work in the kitchen or the bathroom in the apartment.  The resident then saw flames above and around the bathroom ventilation fan.  As she left, she called 911.

Firefighters found smoke coming from the apartment building, and discovered that the fire had spread along a truss into the adjacent unit's bathroom.  Fire crews had to remove parts of the ceiling in both apartments' bathrooms to extinguish hot spots along the rafters and insulation.

Damage was contained to the bathrooms.  The occupants in both apartment units may be temporarily displaced until repairs can be completed.

No one was hurt, fire officials said.