CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two dozen apartments were damaged or destroyed by a massive two-alarm fire in southwest Charlotte early Friday morning, officials said.
The fire happened along Holliswood Court, which is just off South Tryon Street, around 2:30 a.m. A second alarm was called for once emergency crews arrived on the scene and saw the extent of the fire. A team of 60 firefighters were able to get the fire under control in about an hour, according to the Charlotte Fire Department.
Six people, including a firefighter, were evaluated and released by Medic. Officials with Medic said no one was taken to the hospital in connection with the fire.
Residents told WCNC Charlotte a person inside the apartment where the fire started admitted it was caused by a candle. Charlotte fire investigators confirmed the fire was caused by a candle left unattended on a balcony. The fire caused an estimated $1.4 million in damage.
Neighbors also said two cats were killed during the fire. The Red Cross is helping families who were displaced by the fire. The cause is under investigation.
Betsy Ashforth is a resident of the apartments and had to run outside to safety. She said she woke up to the sounds of alarms and the smell of smoke around 2:20 a.m. She went to the door and saw thick, black smoke pour into her apartment. Ashforth grabbed her keys, and her purse and ran down the stairs.
She called it a scene out of a movie.
"You never think you’re going to be doing that," Ashforth said. "The smoke was coming down the staircase, through the breezeway. By the time I got here, more people were out.”
Ashforth said the apartment complex sent an email and said there's no word on when or if residents can go back into their units. That's where the American Red Cross comes into play. The Red Cross said volunteers were on the scene by about 4 a.m. It has connected the impacted residents to resources like clothes, food and medication. They also opened a shelter. There's no end date as of now.
"We are working with each of these families in need right now," Kaitlyn Connolly with the Red Cross said. "It’s critical that we are here. That’s our main goal, helping the people in need.”
It was one of three major fires the Charlotte Fire Department responded to overnight.
Fire crews also responded to Lakeside Drive, near East W.T. Harris Boulevard, around 1 a.m. Friday. Charlotte Fire said 30 firefighters were able to control that fire in 25 minutes, and there were no reported injuries. Investigators said the fire was caused by a cigarette or fireworks "culminated by human error." The fire caused an estimated $88,000 in damage.
A few minutes later, fire crews responded to a fire at a home on Abbeydale Drive. It took a team of 30 firefighters about 20 minutes to put out the fire, officials said. Investigators determined there were no smoke detectors in the house, saying the person inside the house was made aware of the fire when neighbors pounded on the door.
One firefighter was injured and treated at the scene by Medic, according to Charlotte Fire. The fire was ruled accidental due to improperly disposed smoking material in a trash can.
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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