Two officers sent to hospital after inhaling smoke as Overland Park crews battle fire

Two Overland Park police officers were sent to a hospital after responding to an apartment fire on Friday.

A crew of police and firefighters arrived just before 11 a.m. to a fire at the Casa de Fuentes apartment complex at 117th Street and Sterns Ave. Two police officers at the scene suffered injuries from inhaling smoke while evacuating the building.

They were transported to an area hospital for treatment, said Jason Rhodes, a spokesman for the fire department.

Those inside the building were evacuated and uninjured but initially, the resident of the apartment on fire could not be found, he said.

Gaining access to the apartment and searching it took some time because of a hoarding problem. Rhodes described the pileup of items preventing responders from entering as “massive.”

The Overland Park Fire Department said the fire was under control, despite the hoarding conditions, in a message shared over social media.

Later, the resident of the apartment on fire was located off-site and was safe, Rhodes said.

Residents of eight of the building’s apartments have been displaced as a result of the fire.

Just before 4 p.m., investigators said an electric tea kettle caused the fire. The owner said she had forgotten to turn it off after using it in the morning.