Crews responded to an apartment fire at the 1000 Block of Kermit Dr. Sunday morning, and the fire is being considered suspicious.

According to a release from the Knoxville Fire Department, at 2:40 am Sunday, the Knoxville Fire Department was dispatched to a fire inside an apartment building. While en route, KFD was notified by dispatch that the occupant was attempting to put the fire out, but the apartment building was filling with smoke. Knoxville City Fire Department responded with one ladder company, one EMS company, and one command officer. The Department arrived to find smoke in the lower hallway and a small fire in the kitchen area of one of the apartments. Crews were able to remove the smoldering objects and start to remove smoke from the apartment building. Smoke alarms were activated, alerting residences of the fire, but not all evacuated the building.

The Fire Department says this is an important reminder that when smoke alarms sound, to evacuate the building until it has been cleared to reenter the building. The fire is being investigated by Knoxville Fire Department and Marion County Sheriff’s Department Arson Investigators as it is considered suspicious. Knoxville Fire Department was assisted on scene by the Knoxville Police Department, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.