apartment complex fire

[KindaCool]

yesterday about 4:30, an apartment complex in the town i live in caught on fire, luckily firefighters were able to get everybody (the majority being college students) out before anybody got hurt - the complex is completely destroyed

the red cross has created make-shift shelter in the athletic complex of a local university

who knew all those people were going to wake up yesterday doing fine, and then go to bed homeless :(

[44INAROW]

that's terrible.

This might be a good time for a friendly reminder/info for parents of college students and college students responsible "for their own stuff" while in college. MOST homeowners policies offer coverage for unscheduled personal property while off premises @ 10% of the value of the UPP on the policy. (example - $100,000 house, $60,000 contents so you have $6,000 coverage off premises) It varies from company to company, so you'd need to check with your local agent for the particulars but the one thing that is consistent would be the use of the deductible. SO, the problem arises when you have a large deductible (say $1,750 or $2,000) and the loss (theft, fire, wind etc) at the college student's apt or dorm is $2500 - not much is recoverable. Solution, #1 - schedule the Computer and it's equipment and then there is no deductible.. At least you'd get that replacement taken care of. #2 write a separate "renters" policy for the college student - usually at $25,000 with a $250 deductible. Premium runs about $200 - now in the Dallas area it might be much more and obviously on the coastal areas ALOT more. ALSO, you can extend liability to the college student's apt or dorm if the parent's name is on the lease or parent can show they are financially responsible for the apt/dorm. I have personally handled claims in these cases. Had one where the daughter flushed her cell phone (accidently I assume) and it made the toilet overflow and did $7500 damage to the apt below.. the insurance company took care of the damage. Like I said, all companies vary and in the last 5 years, things have changed drastically, so check with your local agent. I know dealing with insurance is a PITA - I do it all week long :D

[CHS_CG]

That sucks! I couldnt imagine having to lose everything to a fire!

[KindaCool]

2 articles from the local Empire Tribune newspaper

Landmark burns -- Fire called largest of its kind in city’s history
By SARA VANDEN BERGE Staff Writer
Friday, June 30, 2006 2:22 PM CDT


Fire officials called it the largest structure fire they have ever seen in Stephenville.

A late Thursday afternoon blaze ripped through the Landmark Apartment complex, sending billowing black smoke that could be seen for miles, ultimately destroying the 53-unit complex that housed mostly Tarleton State University students.

Lights and sirens blaring, emergency crews rushed to the scene, arriving as intense heat and flames were already shooting from the roof of the complex.

University officials were quickly on hand to assist displaced students with food, shelter and other basic needs.

Elizabeth Wallace, Tarleton’s director for housing and residence life, said 20 students needed immediate help.

“The first thing we want to do is get them to Wisdom Gym and assess their needs,” Wallace said. “We’ll house them in some of the vacant apartments on campus and make sure they have all of their basic needs met.”

Firefighters from all over, including neighboring counties, were called in to assist with the effort. At least one firefighter was taken to the hospital and several others were treated on-site for heat exhaustion and dehydration. Stephenville Fire Chief Jimmy Chew was also injured when he and his crew were kicking in doors searching for trapped victims. Chew suffered the injury when glass from a blown out window sliced his lower lip.

Brooke Whitley, the apartment’s leasing agent, said a maintenance worker was the first to notice smoke pluming from the building shortly before 5 p.m. and called 911. She said employees of the apartment complex began banging on doors to alert residents and get them to evacuate.

Two tenants were trapped on the second floor balcony but were rescued when emergency crews arrived.

Fire officials said they don’t yet know what caused the blaze, but said they believe it started in the northeast corner of the south wing. They said the age of the 43-year-old building and the fact that it was built prior to fire code contributed to the extent of the damage.

“There were no fire stops in the attic or sprinklers in the building,” Chew said. “The building basically had no fire protection.”

Firefighters continued to battle the blaze well into the night.

In a strange twist of irony, Valarie Russell, the apartment’s building manager, said the fire marshal conducted an inspection of the building just one day before.

“I haven’t seen his report yet, but he didn’t tell us anything was wrong,” she said.

Sara Vanden Berge covers courts, city, business and political issues for the Empire-Tribune. She can be reached at sara.vandenberge@empiretribune.com. Her work number is 968-2379, ext. 240.

---------------------------------

Landmark burns -- Blaze wrecks lives of Tarleton students
By DOUG MYERS Managing Editor
Friday, June 30, 2006 2:30 PM CDT


Amy Lackey fell asleep Thursday afternoon and awoke to a nightmare.

Had the smoke that engulfed No. 209 at Landmark Apartments not made her cough, her future may have ended in flames.

“I woke up to smoke,” said the tearful 20-year-old Troy native and Tarleton State University student, recalling the first moments of the fire that gradually consumed and eventually devastated the complex located a block south of the university.

Lackey hurriedly gained her feet, rushed through her small apartment and, as she exited her bathroom, red-hot fire exploded toward her.

“Flames started coming out of my wall,” Lackey said.

In a rush to save herself, she was only able to grab a pair of pants, leaving behind a laptop, college textbooks and, saddest of all, albums filled with pictures that she’d never see again.

“Of loved ones, people who aren’t around anymore,” Lackey said, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Outside her apartment, she was greeted by a young man, who asked to remain anonymous, who was trying to extinguish the intense flames with a water hose.

Lackey quickly found out the young man’s effort was all for naught.

Her story was not unlike those of many of the students who lived in the 53-unit apartment complex that was built in 1963. Tears filled the eyes of the many who stood across the street and watched as the fire ripped through the walls and roof of the building.

Laura Adams, a 21-year-old TSU student from Madisonville, leaned against a car and, fighting to hold back tears, sadly watched as the complex that she planned to move out of today burned.

“I was moving out tomorrow,” Adams said Thursday. “It was all packed up.”

Adams said she smelled smoke and exited her apartment.

“I came out in the parking lot. Then, about two minutes later, I saw the flames. I heard a bunch of people saying we needed to call 911,” Adams said.

Thank goodness, Adams said, a majority of tenants were at work when the blaze started or someone might have lost their life.

Adam Phillips, a 22-year-old from Gatesville and member of a local Christian band, said he was doing homework when the electricity went out. He hurriedly grabbed three guitars but left behind a computer and “tons of equipment,” including a piano, electric guitar amp, equalizer and mixer, that were lost in the fire.

“They were already spraying before I got out,” Phillips said.

Sarah Petriskyi, a TSU student who lived in the apartment complex for one year, said she was asleep in her apartment when the fire broke out and, like Lackey, was awakened by the smell of smoke.

“When I woke up I could see that my apartment was filling up with smoke,” she said. “So I grabbed my two cats, jumped in my car and left.”

Once outside, she said she saw many of her neighbors leaving in an organized fashion, except for two who were trapped on the second floor.

Firemen rushed to the aid of the two trapped tenants, expertly leading them down an escape ladder, and no one lost their lives in the blaze.

But, for residents like Lackey, that offered little consolation.

“Everything in my apartment is gone,” she said, looking down at what had been shoeless feet. “That nice lady over there gave me some shoes.”

DOUG MYERS is Managing Editor of the Empire-Tribune. He can be reached at doug.myers@empiretribune.com or (254) 965-3124, ext. 229.

http://empiretribune.com/

[KindaCool]

found out aluminum wires were the cause of the fire

the building has been here for 43 years

50 of the 53 apartments were occupied, nobody was seriously injured

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/6276/fire19nk.jpg

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/3858/fire28ol.jpg

http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/6580/fire36fv.jpg

[CalallenWildcat]

My cousin lived there when he was at Tarleton!

[smustangs]

me and my roommate had an apartment on hold for august when we were going to move in. now we have to find another one. im just so glad no one was serously hurt

[bullfrog_alumni_02]

thats tragic. i know how devistating it can be to have your home/residence burn down, ive been through two house fires. and im pretty sure someone will call me sick for this, but it fits so well here.

watch video (http://www.ebaumsworld.com/gijoe-firealarm.html)

just trying to spread a little humor.

[Chief Woodman]

Old wiring. We have a entire housing area around Eagle Mountian Lake that is full of that type of wiring. We a starting to have several fires in Lake County estates because of it.

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by KindaCool
http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/3858/fire28ol.jpg
Wonder if they're giving out discounts? Can't beat the free cable. :D

[Chief Woodman]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
Wonder if they're giving out discounts? Can't beat the free cable. :D

GREAT observation.