Westville apartment fire displaces 35 residents

LAPORTE CO., Ind. -- Fire crews battled an apartment fire in Westville on Tuesday.

It was burning at the University Park Apartments on River Road, but has since been extinguished by firefighters.

According to fire officials, the fire sparked around 6:30 a.m. They also said there are no sprinklers or firewalls in the buildings. The fire spread rapidly, burning through the units.

Everyone was evacuated.  No one was hurt.  No animals were hurt or lost, either. 

However, the building is a total loss.

Fourteen families in 16 apartments, eight on each side of one building, were displaced by the fire. Thirty-five people in total were affected by the fire.

Investigators said the fire was started accidentally and the cause is undetermined at the moment.

One of the apartment managers said they believe the fire started in a lower level apartment.