CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — A pile of rubble and a wall are all that remained of a Charleston apartment building a day after a devastating fire fought by 75 firefighters left 35 families homeless.
The Regal apartment building fire was reported Wednesday afternoon and raced through the structure in the 1400 block of Kanawha Boulevard East. Firefighters battled the fire for hours and demolition began in the evening as crews tried to reach hard-to-get-to areas in the building.
In a news release Thursday, the Charleston Fire Department released more details about its response to the fire that was initially reported at 3:14 p.m. Numerous 911 calls were received reporting large amounts of smoke from the roof, and one caller said flames could be seen from the roof.
Firefighters said the first engine arrived at the scene within three minutes of the department being alerted, and crew members reported a working fire that appeared to be in the attic. More fire crews arrived, and the building was searched. Everyone inside was evacuated as firefighting efforts were underway.
At 3:44 p.m., the structure of the building became an issue and Fire Chief Craig Matthews ordered all emergency personnel to evacuate the building, the news release said.
The fire department said the fire was fought in a defensive manner due to the hazardous conditions, rapid fire spread and instability of the building. A demolition crew arrived at the scene to assist with assessing the hot spots and to begin to tear down the building.
The fire department cleared the scene at 3:45 a.m.
No injuries were reported to tenants or firefighters, and the fire was contained to the building.
The fire department said it is investigating the fire at the building, and more details about findings of the investigation will be released at a later time.
The fire alarms did not sound Wednesday evening, according to the property's owners.
While the investigation continues, efforts to help those affected by the fire are underway. The Red Cross said Mountain Mission has been designated as the central location for clothing and supply donations for fire victims.
The organization said clothing, shoes, hygiene supplies, household items and furniture can be donated at its location at 1620 Seventh Ave. in Charleston.
Those looking to make a monetary donation, but can do so with the United Way of Central West Virginia, which is also helping with relief efforts.
The agency asks donors to write Regal Apartment Fire in the notes section of the form. Donations can also be made in person at One United Way Square in Charleston.
One of the residents from the complex’s 35 units, John VanWhick, told Eyewitness News Thursday morning the hours since the fire have been a struggle.
“Just like right now, I’m devastated,” VanWhick said. “I just don’t know. I’m blessed to be alive, and I’m glad I’m alive. They always say you could have it worse, well somebody can, so I’m happy I guess.”
VanWhick said he wishes he could have retrieved some of the things he lost.
“I had a picture of my brother passing, and that’s the last one I had,” he said.
Residents have rallied around the residents who lost their homes and everything they own.
Crews worked tirelessly to knock down the fire that forced them from the building.
“Firefighters, they’re the ones. They really did a good job. I want to thank Mayor (Amy) Goodwin for coming out and talking to us and really making us feel good. Someone showed that somebody cared,” VanWhick said.
VanWhick said he is so grateful for the support from the firefighters that once he gets back on his feet, he plans to cook a meatloaf dinner and take it to firefighters to show his appreciation.
Residents are being housed at the Best Western for about a week, VanWhick said, and one of the coordinators of the housing complex said “they were going to do the best they could to put us in a place.”
VanWhick said he planned to go back to the Best Western at 9 a.m. and meet with the American Red Cross to see what it had planned and to get his medicine.
“Other than that, I don’t know. I haven’t been able to sleep. It’s one of those things,” he said.
As a memento, he said he grabbed a brick of the destroyed apartment building, which was his home for only two weeks.
“I’ve been homeless and finally got a place, but they say what God puts on you, you can handle otherwise he wouldn’t do it. I’d just like to know why, but we will find out later,” VanWhick said.
Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin talked to Eyewitness News about coping with the disaster.
“There are still long days ahead,” Goodwin said. “There’s a man who lived in the building for a while, and he said to me as we were putting him on the bus that he didn’t have a lot, but what he had now is gone. That’s hard – that’s hard to hear. And so while we can’t give him the things he lost, as I know I said to him, because people in Charleston feel the exact same way I do, I said, ‘But you’re here.’ And that’s the greatest gift.”
The mayor said people lost a lot in the fire, but “people gave a lot. And they’re going to continue to give because that’s what we do.”
Goodwin offered praise to the Charleston Fire Department for all of the hard work at the scene of the fire.
U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., issued a statement Thursday about the fire.
“I would like to start with saying the fire in Charleston at the Regal apartments was devastating, several people homeless, but I do want to thank the brave men and women of the Charleston Fire Department and the other surrounding areas. They reacted quickly to really what’s been the largest fire I can recall seeing in my local community in quite some time. So the fact that there was no loss in life there is an amazing tribute of their great skills. I talked to the mayor of Charleston this morning to offer any kind of help that might have to offer for them," Capito said.