A home converted into apartments at 806 North Walnut was destroyed Tuesday, and caused severe damage to the home next to it.

Hutchinson Fire Chief Kim Forbes says when they arrived, more then half of the first floor was fully involved. He says it was rolling out of the front of the house, actually hitting trees out in the front yard. He says the flames were already up to the second story roof.

He says they got the report that there were still people upstairs in this apartment building. So they sent fireman in to search and that put those fireman in extreme danger. He says the ceiling actually fell down on fire crews. He says they had two lines inside, with one trying to make it up the stairway. He says they had to keep the crew in the living area while they got the crew down the stairway. As both crews exited the home on the porch, it the collapsed with them on it.

He says the winds caused the fire to spread to a second home at 808 North Walnut, this would be to the north. Fire crews had to battle winds at 23 to 35 miles per hour winds which made it difficult to get the home under control. But, eventually they did, and they have demolished the house.

Assistant Police Chief Troy Hoover who was also on scene had told us they ended up doing several searches for victims and found no one inside.

He says there are four apartments in this two and half story converted home, and that everyone who lived there had been accounted for. One person did apparently jump from the roof of the porch and had reportedly a broken ankle. That person was taken to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment, then according to Chief Forbes, was taken to a Wichita hospital for further treatment. We were then told late Tuesday that this individual may have suffered two broken legs.

There were four occupants in the second home and its believed they called the initial fire in, then escaped their home. Their home sustained considerable damage on the south sideas well as extensive smoke and water damage to the inside.

The fire was reported about 9:10 a-m, and the home is a total loss.

No damage estimate was immediately available, however, the apartment building is expected to be a total loss.

The Red Cross was on scene to assist the victims of this fire.

Watch the video of the fire as shortly after fire crews arrived.