CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dozens of people were displaced after a two-alarm fire caused severe damage at an apartment complex off South Boulevard in south Charlotte Tuesday morning.
The fire happened at the Beacon Hill Apartments, just off Tyvola Road, around 3:30 a.m. The Charlotte Fire Department said the fire was caused by "discarded smoking materials." Officials said 40 people were displaced and assisted by the Red Cross.
Charlotte fire officials said the fire caused an estimated $330,000 in damage.
People who live in the apartment complex said they are devastated by the fire.
"I went to the living room and I saw the neighbor across the streets yelling and crying and then I saw the flames coming down," Terrance Alston said.
The fire happened when most people were sleeping, and many escaped with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
"There wasn’t any chance to grab anything," Briana, who only shared her first name, said about a displaced family she is now helping. "They left barefoot. They came to neighbors and they clothe them."
She created a GoFundMe page to help the mother and her two children.
Several residents told WCNC Charlotte's Richard DeVayne that this isn't the first time a fire broke out at the complex. WCNC Charlotte has covered at least two of those, but some neighbors recalled this being the fourth incident in the few years they've lived in the complex.
Medic said it was on the scene supporting firefighters. It's unclear if anyone suffered injuries but no one was taken to the hospital, according to Medic. The Red Cross confirmed it is helping residents who were displaced by the fire.
"We provide comfort kits, snacks, and water, but we also provide some guidance around how to facilitate the early stages of recovery from a disaster like a home fire," Red Cross Disaster Program Manager Steve Mason said.
Some people who live there said they are even more shocked about this incident because there was a fire at the complex just a few months ago.
"I was already paranoid since the first incident and it's so close because anything can happen," Briana explained. "Just waking up and seeing the smoke and flames from my balcony... I told my mom we need to move."
"It was really really bad and our entire complex was full of firetrucks and everybody you could think of was here," Tyshaea Butler said. "It was horrible and there are still damages from it. They are still making repairs on it."
According to a police report by CMPD, that fire happened last November when an apartment was “intentionally set on fire”.
There was another fire in May of 2021. One person was hurt in an accidental fire that started on a deck. That fire damaged 14 apartments and several pets were killed.
People who live in the apartment complex say their smoke detectors did go off during Tuesday’s fire, and they were recently checked. However, they want to see more safety measures added.
"The only precaution is the smoke alarm but there are no sprinklers," Briana said. "There is a fire extinguisher here and upstairs."
Now according to the North Carolina Department of Insurance, amendments were made in 2011 to the fire code requiring sprinklers in almost all occupancies. WCNC Charlotte is checking to see whether this apartment complex is up to code.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson with Beacon Hill released this statement:
"The well-being of our community is always our top priority - we're grateful that nobody was injured in this fire and for emergency services' swift response. Our immediate focus is on proactively supporting impacted residents and finding temporary accommodation, providing gift cards to cover disruption- related costs and offering relocation to neighboring communities."
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