At least 50 homeless after massive fire sweeps through apartment building - "staying by myself
By Carol Robinson | crobinson@al.com The Birmingham News
Birmingham, AL /storypackage /#article_inset Article
Allison Moneyhan was in the shower Wednesday afternoon when her mother-in-law started banging on the bathroom door, alerting her to danger in their southern Jefferson County apartment complex.
"There's a fire in the building,'' her mother-in-law shouted. "We have to get out."
Moneyhan grabbed her purse, put on as many clothes as she could, wrapped her cat in a towel and dashed out of her unit at The Park at Hoover apartment complex. Moments later, the building was engulfed. "Honestly, we have an inkling most everything is gone,'' she said. "We'll stay strong, and do what we have to do."
Moneyhan is one of at least 50 residents in 16 units displaced by the fire that swept through the 6900 Building at the complex, which is the old Rime Village apartments off of Lorna Road. About 50 firefighters from at least three agencies responded to the scene at 2 p.m., and have been battling the blaze ever since, said Hoover Fire Executive Officer Rusty Lowe.
Heavy fire and smoke was coming from building when they arrived. The Rocky Ridge Fire Department, assisted by Hoover and Vestavia Hills firefighters, remained on the scene at 4 p.m. and weren't ready to say the fire was under control. Today's winds fueled the flames, and made it difficult to extinguish the fire in the three-story building.
Firefighters aren't confirming what started the fire - residents reported it was food cooking on an open flame - but said the flames got into the attic and spread quickly. No injuries have been reported, but a dog was rescued from one of the apartments.
Debbie McKuin, a manager at the Dollar General Distribution Center, said she was in an office when she got a call about the blaze in her building. She asked how bad it was and learned it was serious. "I said, 'Oh my God, my dog. Get me dog out of there,'' she said.
McKuin rushed home and found that firefighters had rescued her 11-year-old Boxer Brody. She dashed up the hill and found him safe. Once she quit crying, she said, her thoughts turned to her apartment and all that was possibly lost- including her daughter's baby pictures, her sectional sofa, television and all of the Christmas presents she had already bought. "My life's worth of stuff is gone," she said, "but the most important thing is everyone is Ok. We will survive."
All of her family is out of state, so she said she didn't have big plans for Thanksgiving anyway. "I guess staying by myself in a hotel is just as good,'' she said.
Lowe said the Red Cross is responding to the scene to help those left homeless by the fire. "It's always tough and sad to see this, but it's especially troubling right before the holidays,'' he said. "The upside is no one was hurt. Property can be replaced, but lives can't.