A significant fire tore through the Stadium Flats apartment complex, which was under construction in South Bend, Indiana, early Tuesday morning. The blaze forced the evacuation of residents from a neighboring building as flames and smoke billowed into the sky.
The South Bend Fire Department responded to the fire just after midnight at the development located near S. Lafayette & W. South Street. Fire crews arrived to find the building under construction and a crane engulfed in flames.
Despite the intense fire and falling debris, firefighters managed to prevent the flames from spreading to the adjacent Diamond View Apartments. Residents of this building were evacuated as a precaution. The heat from the fire caused some damage to windows on the top floor of the Diamond View Apartments, which contains 60 units of affordable housing.
The Stadium Flats project was slated to add 92 affordable housing units to downtown South Bend, with construction originally expected to conclude by the spring of 2027. The development is situated near the training facility for the South Bend Cubs, a minor league baseball team. Firefighters successfully contained the blaze and prevented it from reaching the 17,000-square-foot complex adjacent to the baseball stadium.
Officials stated that the cause of the fire is currently under investigation. No injuries or fatalities have been reported.
The incident occurred approximately two miles from the University of Notre Dame's campus.