After a rooftop fire at Lawrence’s Babcock Place Apartments on Tuesday, a “vast majority” of the building’s residents have been able to return to their units, said Shannon Oury, executive director of the Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority.
Oury, reached via email Thursday, said that two residents needed to be relocated temporarily due to damage in their unit. Several other residents have been staying with family because of the ongoing cleanup, she said.
Tom Fagan, division chief of administration for Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical, said Thursday that the cause of the fire was improper disposal of smoking materials. He said the total loss was still undetermined.
As the Times reported, the roof of the building caught fire around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. Residents of some of the upper floors evacuated, but there were no injuries.
People must be age 50 or older to apply to live at Babcock Place, according to the housing authority’s website.
