By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- Columbus fire crews responded to a two-alarm structure fire at a multi-unit residential building in the 1900 block of Bairsford Drive in the Walnut Hills neighborhood just after 2 a.m. Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
- Two adults and one child were transported to area hospitals in critical condition; a dog was also rescued from the building; no firefighters were injured.
- Responding crews reported being initially short-handed, and a Columbus police officer who was patrolling nearby arrived at the scene first and assisted in pulling victims from the burning structure — aided by at least one civilian neighbor.
- The fire affected all four units of the building, spread through a common attic, and caused one side of the structure to collapse, complicating efforts by investigators to determine the cause.
- Approximately 25 residents were displaced; the American Red Cross was activated to assist, and mutual aid was provided by Madison Township and Turo Township fire departments.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Three people were hospitalized in critical condition early Wednesday after a two-alarm fire tore through a four-unit apartment building in Columbus’s Walnut Hills neighborhood, with firefighters reporting they were initially short-staffed and a Columbus police officer arriving first and assisting in the rescue of victims.
Columbus Division of Fire crews were alerted to the fire in the 1900 block of Bairsford Drive just after 2 a.m. The response was upgraded to a second alarm due to what Columbus Fire Lt. Nicholas Davis described as a significant life hazard. Before fire units arrived on scene, a Columbus police officer patrolling the area responded within seconds and began assisting residents. A civilian neighbor also aided in the rescue effort, pulling victims from the flames alongside the officer.
Three victims — two adults and one child — were rescued and transported to area hospitals in critical condition. The child’s age was not immediately disclosed. A dog was also rescued from the building. Davis confirmed no firefighters were injured during the incident. Mutual aid from Madison Township and Turo Township fire departments was requested, and multiple units ultimately worked the scene.
The building’s layout contributed to the rapid fire spread. The structure contained four residential units — two on each side — connected by a common attic area that allowed the fire to travel between sections. The blaze caused one side of the building to collapse, Davis said, significantly complicating the post-fire investigation. Investigators from Columbus Fire, Madison Township, and Turo Township fire departments were sifting through debris as of Wednesday morning to determine the origin and cause of the fire.
Davis noted that the fire’s intensity forced some firefighters to pull back at points during suppression operations. A total of approximately 25 residents were affected by the fire. The American Red Cross was called upon to assist those displaced. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.