A large overnight fire ripped through a South Bend, Indiana, apartment development that was still under construction early Tuesday, prompting officials to evacuate people from a nearby residential building.
According to the South Bend Fire Department, the blaze broke out shortly after midnight at the Stadium Flats apartment site near S. Lafayette Boulevard and W. South Street.
When firefighters reached the area, they were met with intense flames and heavy smoke after reports indicated the fire had spread across the unfinished structure and involved a crane at the construction site.
Flames consume the Stadium Flats apartment complex in South Bend, Indiana, on Sept. 8, 2026. The unfinished development was expected to bring dozens of new affordable housing units to the city. (South Bend Fire Department)
Officials said the fire sent a substantial amount of burning debris and embers into the air, but crews managed to stop the flames from extending to the adjacent Diamond View Apartments.
Residents at Diamond View Apartments were temporarily evacuated as a precaution. Fire officials said heat from the blaze damaged several top-floor windows at the building, which contains 60 affordable housing units, according to a South Bend Tribune report published last year.
South Bend firefighters responded to the scene shortly after midnight on Sept. 8, 2026. (South Bend Fire Department)
The Stadium Flats project was planned to add 92 affordable apartments to downtown South Bend. Prior to the fire, the development had been slated for completion in spring 2027.
Both buildings are near the training facility for the South Bend Cubs, the city’s minor league baseball team. Firefighters were able to stop the blaze from spreading to the 17,000-square-foot complex, which is right next to the baseball stadium.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, officials said. No injuries or fatalities were reported. (South Bend Fire Department)
Officials said the cause of the fire remains under investigation. No injuries or deaths were reported.
The fire occurred a little over two miles from the University of Notre Dame’s campus.
