UPDATE: 1 critical injury, 2 serious in apartment high-rise fire

LITTLE ROCK, AR – Fire crews have extinguished the fire at the Plaza Tower Apartments at Markham and University. The building had to be evacuated and several residents are injured.

The Little Rock Police Department says 1 person was taken to the hospital in critical condition, 2 in serious condition, and many others with minor injuries like smoke inhalation.

The fire around 8pm.When firefighters first arrived, an apartment on the first floor of the 10 story high-rise was fully engulfed. Smoke quickly filled the rest of the building. An estimated 130 to 140 units had to be evacuated. Cpt. Randy Hickmon with the Little Rock Fire Department says 200 people were inside the Plaza Towers Apartments at the time of the fire. Some of the residents are elderly and had to have assistance getting out of the building.

Several canisters of oxygen were found in the apartment where the fire started, but it is not know if that is what started the fire. Some residents may be allowed back in Monday night if the fire department determines it’s safe for them to return. In the interim, city buses transported residents to shelters.

As the evacuation proceeded, the Chick-fil-A next door handed out food and water to firefighters and apartment residents.