A fire at a Marietta apartment complex destroyed more than two-dozen units Saturday.
The American Red Cross said it is trying to help more than 40 people impacted by the massive fire that took place at the Gallery Apartments.
Marietta police and fire responders were sent to the complex on the 700 block of Franklin Gateway at 5:48 p.m., police said. The blaze sent a huge plume of smoke into the air Saturday night, according to officials.
Police said two different buildings were affected; the flames consumed building two, and the heat from the fire caused damage to nearby building one.
“The responding units found heavy fire involvement throughout upper floors of building two and immediately began evacuating residents of both building two and building one,” police spokesman Chuck McPhilamy said.
McPhilamy said 25 units were destroyed in building two. Roads were blocked in the area so that emergency crews could get to the blaze.
As firefighters tended to the flames, there was a structural collapse at one of the buildings, which forced responders out of the building, McPhilamy said. Firefighters tried to put the fire out exclusively from the outside of the building.
“Shortly after the partial collapse, two separate residents notified fire personnel that their dogs were still trapped inside,” McPhilamy said. “With the top of the building still in flames, fire fighters were able to safely remove the three canines from the structure.”
McPhilamy said all occupants of the building, including pets, were safely removed from the building. No injuries attributed to the fire were reported.
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