5 residents hurt in fire at Memphis high-rise for retirees; 2 in critical condition

Friday, October 20th 2006, 11:40 am

By: News On 6

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Fire broke out in a high-rise apartment building for the elderly and disabled early Friday, injuring five residents and prompting an evacuation of the 10-story facility, authorities said.

The fire was contained to one apartment but the building at the Wesley Highland Terrace retirement complex in midtown Memphis filled with smoke, Deputy Fire Chief Donald Kuhn said.

Five of the tower's 390 residents were taken to hospitals for treatment of smoke inhalation, and two of them were in critical condition, Kuhn said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The facility offers apartments for active retirees and is operated by Wesley Senior Ministries, an outreach of The United Methodist Church.

The high-rise blaze comes a week after a pre-dawn fire swept through a historic downtown church, flicking off embers that set fire to three other buildings, one of them 22 stories tall. That fire destroyed the church and one other building but caused no
injuries.