Altavista apartment fire damages six units

An apartment fire in Altavista damaged six units and displaced several residents Monday afternoon.

Altavista firefighters responded to a fire on Amherst Avenue Monday around 2:30 p.m., said Campbell County Fire Marshall Rodney Lawson.

The fire was reported when the building’s maintenance man smelled something cooking and saw smoke coming from one unit, he said.

When firefighters from the Altavista and Evington fire departments arrived, they found that a burner on the stove had been left on when the resident left her apartment, sparking the blaze, Lawson said.

The Altavista Rescue Squad, the Altavista Police Department and the Campbell County Fire Marshall’s Office also responded.

The fire caused extensive damage to the unit it started in, and caused smoke and water damager to the adjacent units, Lawson said.