Centerton apartment fire attributed to oxygen tank

A fire that displaced 12 families and destroyed a Centerton apartment building Saturday started after a home oxygen tank ignited in a first-floor unit, Benton County Fire Marshal Marc Trollinger said Sunday.

No injuries were reported, but one dog died in the blaze.

The fire at Pomeroy Place Apartments, 113 Sadie Lane, started on the first floor of building 500, vented through a window and climbed up into the roof, Trollinger said. Strong winds flamed the blaze, he said.

The building is a total loss and structurally unsound, Trollinger said. Total losses, including renters' belongings, are expected to run roughly $500,000. Insurance investigators are expected to be on scene Monday, he said.

The American Red Cross has put about three families in hotels, and the remaining residents had places to stay with family and friends, Trollinger said. A donation center set up by the Centerton mayor Saturday has received all necessary donations to help families immediately, according to a Facebook post by Mayor Bill Edwards.

Edwards is seeking someone with a warehouse in Centerton or Bentonville to collect other items, such as furniture, to help families later, according to the social media update.

The investigation into the fire, including how the oxygen tank ignited, will continue Monday, Trollinger said.

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