Durham apartment fire displaces seven

The fire broke out in a first-floor apartment in the 1400 block of Lakeland Street shortly after 8:30 p.m., Battalion Chief Andy Sannipoli said.

That apartment was gutted by the fire, and the apartment directly above it sustained major smoke damage. Six other surrounding apartments had minor smoke damage.

Four adults and three children were displaced by the fire, Sannipoli said. The Red Cross helped them find temporary shelter Thursday night, and the property manager said new permanent housing for them would be found in the apartment complex.

Sannipoli said that the cause of the fire remained under investigation Friday.