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A small kitchen fire at Harmony Court, an independent living facility off Wall Street, left some elderly residents displaced Monday afternoon after Bellevue volunteer firefighters secured the area.

The fire proved the apartment building’s sprinkler system works, but it created a new problem.

“The sprinklers did their job and put it out,” said Jack Syphers, BVFD spokesman, “but now there’s water damage on the lower floor. I heard the ceiling in apartment 108 collapsed.”

Syphers said three apartments were uninhabitable, two because of water damage and the one where the fire started. He wasn’t sure how many residents were displaced, but he said at least three and at most five