CHANUTE — A second person has died from the Thursday, March 21, fire that destroyed Cornerstone Apartments in Chanute.
Kalyn Jones, age 22, was found deceased at the scene and Jolavon Haymaker, age 90, passed away Saturday, March 23, with severe injuries after being airlifted with severe injuries to K.U. Medical Center in Kansas City, according to the Kansas Fire Marshal.
When rescue workers appeared at the scene at 1.22 a.m., they found the south half of the three-story, 24-unit apartment complex fully engulfed in flames and “residents were jumping from windows to escape,” the report stated.
The cause of the fire was due to “carelessly discarded smoking materials on an exterior balcony of the building.”
High winds fueled the fire, driving the flames “up the exterior of the building and through an adjacent, open stairwell,” the fire marshal’s report stated. “The fire extended into the attic before it was detected by a resident. The resident activated the fire alarm as they fled, however the fire destroyed the alarm system wiring shortly after it was activated, silencing the fire alarms.”
Emergency responders rescued several residents of the apartment building, while requesting mutual aid assistance from the Parsons, Iola, and Thayer Fire Departments.
The cause of the fire was ruled accidental, State Fire Marshal Mark Engholm said.
The Chanute Community Foundation has set up a dedicated fund to collect monetary donations to assist those affected by the fire. Monetary donations may sent to the Chanute Area Chamber, 21 N. Lincoln, Chanute, KS, 66720 and several local banks.
