Weather

Montgomery

Current: 87°

Cloudy

High: 92°

Low: 66°

Wind: 3 MPH

Pressure: 29.87

Humidity: 48 %

Go to Weather page

More Weather

2 Families Escape But Lose Everything in Montgomery Apt. Fire

Tools

By Jessica Gertler

Story Created: Jan 24, 2013 at 5:18 PM CDT

Story Updated: Jan 25, 2013 at 12:44 AM CDT

Two families are without a home tonight, after a fire rips through their apartments leaving them with only the clothes on their back.

We spoke with both families who lived in the apartments. They do not have insurance, so they say it will be hard starting over.

Red and blue lights filled the parking lot at the Courtyard at Garden Green Apartment Complex Wednesday night. Flames ripped through two apartments just after 9 p.m.

Rahine White and his family lived in one of them. White was at work when the blaze broke out.

"There was a fire in the staircase," he says. "My wife opened the door, and fire came blazing into the home. She closed the door. Panicked. Then grabbed the kids."

White's apartment is on the second floor. There was only one way his wife and two children could escape.

"She told the kids to jump. They caught them," White says.

Directly under White's family lived the Townsends. The family of six were asleep when they smelled the smoke.

"I looked up. Smoke and flames were everywhere," says Angela Townsend. "I just told everybody to get out of the house."

The Red Cross has put both families in a hotel for the time being. Both have no where else to go.

"Just lucky we made it out with the kids and everybody is safe," says Townsend.

In just one night, both families lost everything, but the clothes on their back.

"Basically my whole life. Her whole life. Kid's toys. Everything is gone," says White.

Thankfully, both families walked away with no injuries.

There were a couple other apartments that did receive smoke damage, but no one was living inside of them.

The apartment complex is raising money and collecting clothing, food, toiletries and household goods for both families. If you would like to help them out, call (334) 271-2000.

Next Article Alabama schools look at severe weather preparations

Most Viewed

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.