Woman, four children escape Cedarwood Hills apartment fire

A woman and four children escaped a burning apartment Friday morning in Cedar Rapids.

No injuries were reported in the blaze that originated at 2040 Glass Rd. NE, Apt. 201, authorities said. Fire crews quickly knocked down flames and confined the interior fire damage to one unit.

Several fire trucks responded to the sprawling Cedarwood Hills apartment complex around 10:30 a.m. when the fire was reported. Capt. Andy Olesen said the first responding unit could see smoke from Oakland Road NE, and found fire coming from a window when they arrived.

"The apartment manager knocked on doors and got an additional 20 people out," Olesen said. "The fire department got four more out."

Olesen said the woman was in the apartment with her children and some of her children's friends when the fire began. He said the unit was heavily damaged and will be uninhabitable.

Anthony West, 19, said he and his mother got out safely from their first-floor unit with their dog. He said the fire originated in the bathroom of the second-floor unit.

Several dogs were inside the 30-unit building, which also houses the main office for the complex, but Olesen was unsure if any animals were hurt or killed.

The cause of the fire has not been determined, pending an investigation.