Fire starts after propane torch used to thaw pipes

Authorities say a fire Wednesday night at a Bartlett apartment building was the result of maintenance crews using a propane torch earlier in the day to thaw frozen pipes in the lobby.

Firefighters from the Bartlett Fire Protection District responded at 7:33 p.m. to the building in the 500 block of Deere Park Circle for a report of a structure fire, and found smoke and a burning odor in several areas of the building’s first and second floors, according to a news release.

The source of the smoke and odor was found inside a lobby wall where a section of the wood stud wall and other debris showed signs of being burned, officials said.

The fire resulted in minimal damage and no displacement of the residents.

Fire crews cleared the scene at 10:04 p.m.