Fire Victim: ‘Everything’s Gone’

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio -- Nearly a dozen families were out of a home Tuesday after a fire destroyed their apartment complex.

NBC 4's Tom Brockman was on the scene the entire morning and offered an update.

Firefighters and witnesses said they could see the fire and heavy smoke from Interstate 70 and Brice Road.

What was just another Tuesday morning, turned into a day Michelle McFadyen likely will remember for the rest of her life.

"From what I can see right now, everything's gone," McFadyen said.

Columbus Fire was called out to 2437 Pendergast Place in Reynoldsburg on an apartment fire close to 7 a.m. The flames were contained at about 8:20 a.m.

She was headed to work when, "I started walking down the stairs, and I see stuff falling down. I'm like that's not rain. I ran out there, and I see it's ashes and like hot embers falling down. I look up and the building, apartment right next door has flames coming out the roof," she said.

Those flames quickly spread through the attic and turned into a two-alarm fire.

"The apartment complex, that unit, it was engulfed in flames, big huge yellow orange flames.  Black smoke hurling off it," witness Devonne Harris said. "I woke up this morning to a group of kids screaming at the bus stop, 'The houses are on fire!' "

An army of 75 firefighters responded to, fought and quickly contained the massive fire.

Not before all 14 apartments were either destroyed or damaged in the blaze, though, according to fire officials.  

While 10 of those apartments were occupied, no one was hurt.

Total damage was estimated at about $1.25 million -- likely a complete loss.

Officials initially ruled the fire suspicious, and arson investigators searched the scene for evidence. They now believe it was accidental and might have been electrical in nature.

Meanwhile, Mcfadyen can't believe just how close of a call she witnessed this morning.

"I was sitting down at my table eating breakfast just moments before I left. If I'd been there a few minutes longer, I probably would have gone up in flames," she said.

The American Red Cross responded to the scene and was helping out nine and likely more families affected by the blaze.

Meanwhile, Brockman said the apartment complex hoped to open up some vacant apartments for the victims.

In fact, some neighbors might even start some kind of collection to help these families out during the holiday season.

CPD closed Tussing Road at Highland Park Drive for a period of time Tuesday morning.

Stay tuned to NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com for more information on this developing story.

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