Early Saturday morning, a fire broke out that left 18 people displaced from their homes and a cat dead.
Ten News spoke with Roanoke Fire Chief David Hoback, who said that crews arrived at 4:39 and saw part of an apartment complex in the 3700 block of Southway Drive go up in flames.
“When Engine 8 got there, they found heavy fire coming out of the second-floor apartment,” Chief Hoback said. “On the right side of the apartment it had extended into the apartment on the third floor. Then the fire had also extended into the roof area.”
The crews first reaction was to help get everyone out of the building before tackling the blaze.
“Initial actions for Engine 8 was to make sure everyone was out of the building. They did a quick search and got everyone out of the building,” Chief Hoback said. “Then they started the fire attack on the primary floor, which was the second floor. Additional companies arrived and went to the third and the attic.”
Right now, the 18 people who have been displaced are currently getting assistance from the American Red Cross and the Roanoke Fire Department Emergency Response Team alongside the apartment complex itself.
“In this case we also worked with the management company of the apartment complex and they were phenomenal. [They were] trying to get people out of the rain and they had some vacant apartments,” Chief Hoback said. “They were relocating those people into those apartments and trying to get the ones who were displaced and trying to get them into a new apartment.”
Chief Hoback also confirmed that the fire was determined to be accidental. He was also thankful for the teams that arrived on the scene, praising their actions in containing the fire.
