ROSWELL, Ga. - A Roswell family is trying to figure out where they will go after a hidden fire ripped through their apartment building just after midnight, forcing seventeen people from their homes. The flames spread behind walls along Ashley Forest Drive, leaving several units gutted and families scrambling for a place to stay less than two weeks before Thanksgiving.
What we know:
Fire officials said the flames traveled inside concealed wall spaces along Ashley Forest Drive, quietly spreading between several connected units before firefighters arrived.
Roswell Fire officials said crews first saw light smoke, then discovered a concealed fire moving through wall spaces between multiple connected apartments.
Firefighters worked through the night opening walls to stop the flames from advancing and to fully extinguish the fire.
Several apartments were heavily damaged by fire, smoke, and water.
One firefighter from a neighboring agency was evaluated for a minor injury, and crews rescued a cat from one of the units.
The cause remains under investigation.
What they're saying:
Disaster recovery crews spent the day clearing debris from unit 11-23, where Reuben Prada with ATI Disaster Recovery Services said the damage was total. "I’m telling you, this is the worst scenario, the fire," Prada said. "Everything is gone."
Residents described how quickly the situation escalated. "It was in seconds that the smoke was all over the place," said displaced resident Jose Jenao. He told FOX 5 he thinks the fire started inside the wall near the laundry room. "The flames you couldn’t see any flame but it was smoke all over the place."
Jenao said the smell now "burns his nostrils," water covers the floor, and charred studs are all that remain inside their home. "We are saying, why did that happen at that special moment. Thanksgiving is coming so now we don’t know where we’re going to live," he said. "It’s going to be difficult for the family. Very difficult."
What we don't know:
Authorities have not said what sparked the hidden fire or how long it burned before anyone noticed. Officials have not released a full timeline of the response, including when the first 911 call came in or how fast the flames traveled through the walls. It is not clear whether all smoke alarms were working, whether the building had recent inspections, or how long displaced families may be without permanent housing.
What's next:
The American Red Cross is helping the seventeen displaced residents. Jenao and his family will stay in a hotel until they can be placed in another unit, which they hope will happen before Thanksgiving.
What you can do:
Roswell Fire officials urged families to check their smoke alarms and make sure everyone in the home knows two ways out, noting that early detection and escape plans save lives.
The Source: The Roswell Fire Department provided the details for this article. FOX 5's Alli Levine spoke with residents.
404.480.8402
Service Areas
