There was a costly fire at an apartment complex in Cherokee last night.

Officials say a “heavy fire” was burning in a first floor apartment in the Timber Ridge Apartment Complex when fire fighters arrived. The fire spread to a second-floor deck and then to the roof above.

All 16 units in the building were evacuated. Eventually crews were able to contain the fire, but damage is estimated to be as high as a quarter of a million dollars.

One person was treated for smoke inhalation. 

Investigators say they believe the cause of the fire was probably an electrical cord under the sofa in that first floor apartment.  The sofa caught fire and then the flames spread.

(Reporting by Mark Bruggom, KICD, Spencer)

Radio Iowa