A fire that tore through eight units at a Cobb County apartment complex that serves as a homeless ministry displaced 16 people Monday night, authorities said.
Cobb County firefighters responded about 8:45 p.m. to the blaze at the Shepard’s Walk apartments along Osborne Road near Marietta, where flames could be seen from the second floor, department spokesman Ramses Rivas said. The fire tore through the upstairs units and the roof.
Credit: MUST Ministries
Credit: MUST Ministries
Rodney Blalock, who has lived at the apartment building for nine months, said he woke up to smoke and yelling.
“I just woke up and then come into the kitchen, I see a lot of smoke ... and as soon as I walk to the door and look down, everybody is hollering, ‘Hey, come out,’” Blalock said from the scene. “I ran downstairs and all of a sudden they say the unit is on fire.”
Blalock said 16 people lived in the building that is owned by MUST Ministries.
“For those 16 people, they’ve already gone through the trauma of being homeless,” MUST Ministries president and CEO Ike Reighard told Channel 2 Action News, ”and now they’ve got to turn around and try to regroup their lives after losing everything.”
Credit: John Spink
Credit: John Spink
When the fire was finally extinguished around 9:30 p.m., the dark, brown bricks were charred black near windows and the roof over some units had completely burned down. One resident was taken to a hospital, but Rivas did not specify their injuries.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Rivas said.
The American Red Cross of Georgia provided emotional support and warm blankets at the scene to those impacted. Volunteers are also providing assistance for immediate emergency needs such as temporary housing in a motel, food, clothing, health and personal care items.
Reighard said his organization is working to permanently relocate those displaced by the fire.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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