Smoking in bed cause of early-morning fire

A fire early Thursday at a south Lawrence apartment complex was caused by a resident smoking in bed, fire officials said.

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical personnel were called at 2:28 a.m. to the fire, which started in the bedroom of a second-floor apartment in the Prairie Ridge Place apartment complex, 2424 Melrose Lane.

Deputy Fire Chief Mark Bradford said the fire caused about $125,000 in damage. The man was taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital and checked for smoke inhalation before being released, the deputy chief said.

Others in the apartment building were evacuated to another building, where they waited for firefighters to extinguish the blaze and ventilate carbon monoxide, Bradford said.

Firefighters were on the scene until about 6 a.m.