Several Residents Displaced After Fire Damaged Tulsa Apartment Building

A fire at the Pioneer Plaza apartment building just north of downtown Tulsa forced dozens of people to evacuate Wednesday afternoon. The Fire started on one of the upper floors of the 11-story building - forcing the building's residents to huddle outside in the parking lot or watch the smoke from their balconies.

At least one person was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

Andy Little with the Tulsa Fire Department said the fire started on the upper floors around 7:00 p.m. and was quickly contained - but several units were damaged by smoke and water.

At least 17 people's apartments are potentially unlivable until they can be cleaned and ventilated.

Little said the big challenge with multi-story buildings like this one is evacuating people who are immobile - or unable to walk down from upper levels.

"Any structure or public housing like this is a significant challenge because there are so many people you know. Often times you get people that are non-ambulatory … that are up three, four, five stories," he said.

The cause of the fire has not been released. Residents who were displaced by the fire have been brought to the Tulsa Housing Authority's central office next door until they can be relocated.