Firefighter injured in Overland Park apartment fire early Thursday, missing person found

Andrea Klick
·1 min read

One person who was missing following an apartment fire Thursday morning in Overland Park has now been found safe.

Crews responded just after 1 a.m. to Meadowlark Hill Apartments, where they found smoke and fire coming from a two-story apartment building and police assisting with evacuations, Jason Rhodes, a spokesman for the Overland Park Fire Department, said in a news release.

The incident was upgraded to a three-alarm fire and crews from Leawood, Shawnee and Lenexa were called to help.

An Overland Park fire investigator documents an apartment that was destroyed in a fire at the Meadowlark Hill Apartments on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, in Overland Park, Kan.
An Overland Park fire investigator documents an apartment that was destroyed in a fire at the Meadowlark Hill Apartments on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, in Overland Park, Kan.

Firefighters also learned of possible trapped victims inside the building and rescued four people. Heavy fires pushed crews out, so they haven’t completed a search of the unit where they believe the fire originated, Rhodes said.

One resident could not initially be accounted for, but was later found safe.

Crews spent hours battling the fire. One firefighter was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

The fire has displaced all residents in the building, and the Red Cross is on scene to assist with lodging.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Overland Park fire investigators inspect damage to an apartment that was destroyed in a fire at the Meadowlark Hill Apartments on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, in Overland Park, Kan.
Overland Park fire investigators inspect damage to an apartment that was destroyed in a fire at the Meadowlark Hill Apartments on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, in Overland Park, Kan.