A fire in the apartment of an ISU student left his home in ruins.

Travis Christoffersen, junior in industrial technology, said he was in his bedroom at his apartment at 209 Hyland Ave. when he smelled smoke coming from his kitchen.

“I went out and found the stove on fire,” Christoffersen said. “I had boxes of stuff on the counter and they must have fell over onto the pilot light and started on fire.”

Clint Petersen, fire chief for the Ames Fire Department, said the damage from the fire consisted mainly of the room and its contents with minor smoke damage to the surrounding apartments.

No injuries were reported although a few residents were home at the time.

Petersen said they received a call at 12:05 p.m. and had the fire under control within five minutes of arriving at the scene.

Christoffersen said he moved into his apartment approximately a week ago and a fire on the first day of classes wasn’t the kind of excitement he was looking forward to.

Victor Love, maintenance manager for the Hyland complex, said he understands students may have a lot of boxes during moving day but tries to emphasize the importance of keeping them away from their stoves.

“When they first come in we show them that the pilot lights are all working, but they still put boxes on the stoves,” he said. “You just try to get through that cardboard and fire don’t mix – and sometimes you get through and sometimes you don’t.”

Love said he had a feeling that a fire would happen some =day but hopes that it wouldn’t happen again.

Ev Cochrane, co-owner for the Hyland complex, said he would make the necessary repairs and hopes to have his tenets back in their rooms soon.

“One stupid act not only affects that apartment but it affects everyone around it,” he said.

PHOTOS:

Top: Ames firefighters put away their gear following an apartment fire Monday at 209 Hyland Ave.

Photo: Emily Sadler/Iowa State Daily

Bottom: Ames firefighters prepare to put out a fire Monday at an apartment at 209 Hyland Ave. Photo: Emily Sadler/Iowa State Daily