2 victims suffer serious injuries in Maryland School Apt. blaze

A man and woman escaped a blaze with serious injuries when flames engulfed the ground level apartment they were inside of late yesterday mornning. 

Dakota L Elliott  and Kelsey Middleton were rushed to a nearby hospital for burns and other related injuries suffered in the fire that broke out just before 11 a.m. in the unit at the Maryland School Apartment complex on the south side of Terre Haute.

"Both occupants were quickly transported to Regional [Hospital] Emergency Department and then later transferred to Eskenazi Health [in Indianapolis]," Public Information Office Joshua Sittler, of the Honey Creek Fire Department, said, adding that a recent  report on both victims indicated both to be in critical, but stable condition.

Officials have  ruled the fire  accidental; however, specifics are not being released at this time. 
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Honey Creek Fire Department crews responded to a report of the apartment fire, located at 777 Springhill Drive yesterday at 10:55 a.m.​

Fast action by the Honey Creek Fire Department, which has a fire house just a few blocks east of the scene ---  and quick-action and heroics displayed by bystanders at the time of the fire --- are credited with saving the lives of Elliott and Middleton.

​Firefighters found the victims had been assisted by alert bystanders out of the blaze, whom reportiedly used a grill to break open the window and help them escape prior to fire crews' arrival.

"The fire was quickly extinguished, limiting the damage to surrounding apartments," Sittler said, noting smoke detectors were present in the apartment at the time of the fire and were operational. 
 
Agencies assisting were the following

• Riley Fire Department/Ambulance
• Sugar Creek Fire Department 
• Vigo County Sheriff's Office 
• State of Indiana Fire Marshal's Office.

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