Six families escape apartment fire with only the clothes on their back

Columbus, Miss. (WCBI) – Black walls, shattered windows and caved-in ceilings. That’s all that’s left for six families at a Columbus apartment complex.

The Columbus Fire Department got the call around 4 o’clock this morning at the Chanticleer Apartments.

Assistant Fire Chief Duane Hughes says everyone got out safely but the fire gutted their homes.

“Our attention is immediately drawn to the concern of the residents whether it’s at home or as we have on the scene, apartments especially at this time of year it’s hard to find housing and shelter,” says Columbus assistant fire chief Duane Hughes.

“They all escaped from the fire in the middle of the night or early this morning probably around four or 5 o’clock this morning and so most of them were awakened from a deep sleep and probably just had their pajamas and may or may not had time to get coats and shoes and stuff,” says Red Cross disaster representative Gail Thompson.

With only the clothes on their back, the families who lived here are trying to figure out what to do next.

“Inclement weather is a large part of it. So we spend majority of today making sure that these individuals have somewhere warm that they can go in shelter until we can get them into a permanent residence,” says Hughes

Red Cross disaster representative Gail Thompson says that the red cross is trying to do everything they can to help the residents who have almost nothing left.

“It was cold and wet and rainy and it was so early in the morning and had everyone that was affected and displaced to come over here because it was warm and dry and we have opened a case and have provided immediate assistance to them and we are wrapping up right now and between the department management and the assistance that we provide them they will be able to make their own choices on whether they want to stay in a safe place tonight,” said Thompson.

Hughes says the cause of the fire is under investigation and the families, while safe, will have a long road back to normal.