A candle left unattended was the cause of a fire in an attic apartment earlier today in the 200 block of Tremont Street.
No one was harmed in the fire, though Chief Daniel Hague said that property damage to the structure was approximately $20,000 with an additional $5,000 for the contents of the apartment.
Originally, firefighters responded to a call from a UTC housing unit at Guerry apartments, but were redirected while en route to the location on Tremont.
Responders arrived at the home at 9:38 a.m. and reported heavy smoke coming from the attic. The owner stated that everyone was out of the house, and at 10:08 a.m. the fire had been extinguished.
The resident of the apartment told authorities that he had left a candle burning and that was the cause of the fire.
City officials deemed the structure unsafe upon arrival, but the owner said that he had a place to stay and would handle housing of the displaced tenant.