Four dozen people are in need of new homes after a large fire ripped through a northwest Atlanta apartment building early Saturday morning, officials said.
The blaze erupted about 3:40 a.m. at the Harvest Oak Apartments in the 2900 block of Delmar Lane, Atlanta fire spokeswoman Alyssa Richardson said. Multiple crews arrived within minutes, but the wood-framed building was engulfed in flames by the time they got there.
Everyone managed to get out safely before firefighters arrived, and there were no reports of injuries, authorities said. The intense fire collapsed the roof of the 12-unit building, destroying the apartments and displacing 16 families, according to the American Red Cross.
Crews eventually managed to snuff out the flames, but stayed on scene throughout the night dousing hotspots, Richardson said. The last firetruck didn’t leave the apartment complex until about 9:15 a.m., she said Saturday morning.
Red Cross volunteers responded to the complex, handing out snacks, water and blankets to those who had to flee their homes in the middle of the night, agency spokeswoman Sherry Nicholson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The organization is working with the displaced families to provide food, clothing, medication and a temporary place to stay until they can get back on their feet.
“More families may come forward for help as the day progresses,” Nicholson said. “A total number of people impacted in not yet known.”
The exact cause of the blaze remains under investigation, fire officials said.
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