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Water Heater, Clothing Sparked Mitchell Apartment Fire

MITCHELL, S.D. (AP) — Investigators have determined that a water heater and clothing sparked an apartment building fire Saturday night in Mitchell that displaced five families.

Assistant Fire Chief Paul Morris tells The Daily Republic newspaper ( ) that the fire started in the basement boiler room when clothing next to a hot water heater ignited after the water heater turned on.

No one was hurt in the fire. The Red Cross is helping the affected families.

The building’s owners say that before the fire, someone entered the boiler room, vandalized it, took a guitar and left a hunting jacket next to the water heater, which caught fire.

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Information from: The Daily Republic,