Lakewood fire displaces dozens of families, injures 2

LAKEWOOD -- A fire at an apartment complex displaced 19 people and sent one man to the hospital early Tuesday morning.

Central Pierce Fire and Rescue firefighters were called to a fire at an apartment complex in the 7500 block of Dean Avenue in Lakewood early Tuesday morning. The fire broke out around 4 a.m. at an apartment building near Dean Avenue West in Lakewood.  It quickly spread, engulfing two apartments.  T

Firefighters put out the extensive flames, but not before two units were completely destroyed and two others were damaged by smoke. One person injured his foot kicking in a door, and another was treated for smoke inhalation, but no serious injuries were reported in the blaze.

Nineteen people were displaced from the fire, including 15 adults and four children. Red Cross was on the way to the apartment complex to offer help, officials said.

Isabelle Centeno lives on the second floor and woke to people screaming, "I woke up to people screaming, I went to the back to get something to drink and i just saw that the whole back porch caught on fire.  So, I ran back to my room, grabbed my dog and ran out the house and just started banging on everyone's doors to get them out," Centeno said.

The fire is under investigation.