Overland Park fire displaces eleven families, two units destroyed

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Eleven families were left looking for shelter Wednesday night after a fire at an apartment complex near 118th and Perry in Overland Park.

The building had twelve units, but only eleven were occupied at the time of the fire. Two apartments were completely destroyed, but the others had damage. One family said they smelled the smoke in their apartment, but assumed a neighbor was lighting a fireplace.

“Someone came and started banging on our door, telling us the apartment right next to ours was on fire and to get out,” Connie Hubbel said.

The Hubbel’s apartment was saved, and the couple said they were thankful their belongings were saved and no one was injured.

“It stinks that it’s around the holidays,” Michael Hubbel said. “But probably because of that is why everyone was gone and not home.”

Many of the building’s tenants were helped by the Red Cross. Officials are still investigating the cause of the fire, but said they don’t believe the renters in the apartment where the fire started were home.