The complex is known at "The Royale at CityPlace Center."
The fire was reported about 3:30 pm and quickly grew to 2-alarms..
Within 30 minutes- the response had grown to at least 5-alarms with virtually every fire department in Johnson county KS sending equipment and crews.
As of 5:30 pm- this has gone to "an 8-alarm-plus" fire.
Fire crews from both Kansas Citys and as far away as Lawrence KS were called to the fire scene or asked to fill the many empty fire stations in Johnson county.
This has beeen the largest Metro KC fire since the West Bottoms blaze of 1998 and the largest fire in Overland Park's history.
Nearby homes were also ignited.
As of 4:45 pm- at least 12 homes to the south of the complex have been or are currently involved in flames from radiated heat and blowing embers.
Late Monday evening- Overland Park Fire spokespeople stated that "17 homes were damaged" with at least 3 of those homes considered a total loss.
Tuesday morning- that figure had increased to "22 homes" damaged- with 5 of those homes heavily-damaged or destroyed.
This is in addition to the 2 apartment buildings destroyed along with several smaller buildings in the complex.
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| SMOKE PLUME VISIBLE ON NWS RADAR FROM PLEASANT HILL MO |
As of 6:30 pm- nearly 3 hours after this fire was first reported- aerial TV shots show most of the homes that caught fire have been extinguished or nearly so.
Also- only one minor firefighter injury reported thus far- no other injuries have been reported.
Late Monday- fire commanders said "3 firefighters have been transported (to medical facilities) in fair condition."
No civilian injuries were reported and at least a half-dozen fire crews were still on-scene dealing with the fire in the 2nd-building in the complex.
Late Tuesday- more than 27 hours after the initial fire call- an OPFD spokesperson stated "25 homes" were in some way damaged in the fire- with "5" homes uninhabitable.
Those firefighters injured had been released and all hot spot extinguished.
The cause has been linked to a construction welder's spark that ignited a wooden wall.
Damage figures will probably total in the tens of millions of dollars.
