MARTINSVILLE – Andy Powers, Martinsville Fire Department Deputy Fire Marshal, told BTW21 in an interview, "The origin and cause of the fire was determined to be unattended cooking. Someone had left the oven on in apartment two and had left the apartment for a few moments. When they returned, the kitchen was on fire and that traveled through a vent up the exterior of the building into the attic on the third floor."
Multiple fire agencies from across the county responded to assist Martinsville Fire Department Saturday night just before 8 PM including ladder trucks from Collinsville and Bassett. The fire that started on the third floor of Church Street Square Apartments in Uptown Martinsville quickly spread to other third floor apartments. The complex is managed by Piedmont Community Services. The American Red Cross was on scene to assist residents and all were relocated to the Dutch In located in Collinsville. All 30 units were accounted for with only minor injuries.