At least 130 people in part of Cumberland County are trying to figure out what comes next after being forced from their apartment complex when it caught fire on Easter Sunday.
The fire broke out just before 5:45 p.m. on March 31 at the Northside Village Apartments in Lower Frankford Township, near Carlisle.
According to Chief Randy O'Donnell of the Carlisle Fire Department, the flames sparked on an upper patio when someone disposed of charcoal from a personal grill without realizing it was still hot, according to Chief Randy O’Donnell with the Carlisle Fire Department. The discarded material caught fire and spread to the vinyl siding of the building.
O'Donnell told FOX43 the property manager told him that personal grills are not allowed in the complex, under property policy.
The fire was ruled accidental by investigators.
“It was a panic almost, our cat was in there and then you think that’s all our stuff," said Jessie Hilliard, who lives in the complex with her boyfriend. "I just moved here so that’s everything I have just in the apartment. I was lucky flames didn’t get to it. But it was shocking.”
When the Carlisle Fire Department and Carlisle Barracks Fire Department arrived, they found fire on the second-floor patio area that extended past the fourth floor onto the roof. With the help of sprinklers, firefighters were able to get the flames under control within half an hour.
Chief O'Donnell said residents evacuated quickly and safely thanks to the efforts of people in the parking lot who pulled the fire alarm and another resident who knocked on neighbors' doors.
People living in the building were evacuated next door to Homewood Suites by Hilton of Carlisle, where the Cumberland County Incident Management Team greeted them and addressed their immediate needs, O'Donnell said.
Some are staying with family and friends, while others are staying at the hotel. The Red Cross is providing temporary housing for 50 residents.
In all, approximately 130 people were evacuated from the building. There is no estimate on when they may be able to return to living in the Northside Village Apartments.
“They’re letting us back in to get what we need like essentials but they said the rebuild will take two to four weeks, or so," said Hilliard. "I don’t know if that’s realistic with the damage we saw inside.”
A restoration company is on scene conducting a cleanup of water and smoke damage, Chief O'Donnell said.
He said the property manager hopes to get people who live in outer apartments moved back in within the next week, but it will take longer to restore the rooms that are closer to where the fire broke out.
Chief O'Donnell said the incident should serve as a reminder to renters.
“We stress and stress, make sure you retain your renter’s insurance," he said. "For an incident like this, it could give you long-term coverage for months, maybe even a year.”
No one was injured while evacuating or battling the fire, but one resident was injured while collecting immediate necessities from the apartments. They were taken to a hospital to be evaluated.
The Carlisle Fire Department thanks the following agencies for their assistance: Homewood Suites, Union Fire Company, Carlisle Fire & Rescue, Carlisle Barracks Fire Department, Carlisle Police Department, Cumberland Goodwill EMS, Carlisle and Area Fire Police, New Kingston Fire Company, North Middleton Fire Company, Citizens Fire Company of Mount Holly Springs, Cumberland County Incident Management Team and American Red Cross.