Redmond woman hurt in jump from smoke-filled apartment

A Redmond woman suffered a broken pelvis Saturday when she jumped from the window of her smoke-filled second-story apartment after a fire broke out in the oven, prompting evacuation of the complex, authorities said Sunday.

Kendee Franklin, 51, was in good condition Sunday, recovering at St. Charles Redmond, a hospital nursing supervisor said.

Police and fire crews responded around 3:40 p.m. Saturday to the reported fire in Apartment 62 at The Bluffs Apartments, 340 SW Rimrock Way, said police Lt. Keith Knight.

Arriving officers found a woman on the ground behind the apartment complex during the initial area check, Knight said. Franklin said it was her apartment where the fire had broken out.

Firefighters entered and found a fire contained in the oven and a large amount of smoke in the room.

Knight said the woman admitted taking down the smoke alarm, which had been unplugged and removed from the wall.

The fire alarm was activated to help in evacuating the apartment building, Knight said.

Crews put out the fire and used exhaust fans to clear smoke from the building. Residents were allowed to return after all was confirmed to be safe, Knight said.

Franklin was taken by Redmond Fire and Rescue ambulance to the hospital, where she was treated and found to have a broken pelvis from the fall. Knight said she was the only occupant of the apartment, and is expected to make a full recovery.

Police, assisted by Redmond Fire Marshal Traci Cooper and an Oregon State Police arson investigation, ruled out arson as the cause of the fire, Knight said.

The fire remains under investigation. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Redmond police at (541) 504-3400 or Deschutes County dispatchers at (541) 693-6911, referring to case No. 14-145771.

Knight also reminded residents to never disable your smoke alarm.

“To disable your fire alarm not only affects you but the people around you,” Knight said. “It’s very, very important to have those in full working order and mounted properly, so they are in use.”