Batavia apartment fire displaces resident

A fire early Saturday at 827 E. Wilson St. in Batavia displaced a female resident and gutted a second floor apartment.

The resident was not injured, although a cat perished in the blaze. The resident, whose name was not released, is reported to be staying with relatives.

According to Batavia Fire Department Battalion Chief Randy Zies, the department received a report of a mattress fire at 3:25 a.m. and had the fire under control by 4 a.m. The resident had left the building and called 911.

Zies said a space heater left too close to the bed caused the mattress fire, which spread throughout the second floor apartment and onto the back porch.

The building houses Kielion Plumbing on the first floor. No damage was reported on the first floor, although there was smoke and water damage to a second-floor office west of the apartment. The office also belongs to Kielion Plumbing.

The damage to the building is estimated at $100,000 with contents damage estimated at $20,000.

"At this time of year, people use supplemental heating like space heaters, but they need to be kept at least 3 feet from combustible materials, as do candles" Zies said. "And space heaters and candles should never be left unattended."

It is expected that Kielion Plumbing will remain open.