ANDERSON, Ind. — A building fire Monday morning at an Anderson apartment building resulted in evacuations of tenants and three cats being taken to the veterinarian.
Anderson Fire Department crews were called around 9:50 a.m. to the 1300 block of Winesap Way for a fire at the Applecreek apartments. It took around 90 minutes to put the flames out and the second alarm fire was under control by around 11:30 a.m.
People living nearby quickly jumped to action, helping people get to safety.
"Me and my friend, we got everyone out of the burning building and then we went to the next building attached to it and got everyone out safely," said Elizabeth Reynolds who lives at Applecreek Apartments.
Neighbors said it was a terrifying experience, but getting everyone out was the number one priority.
“Our neighbors are good to each other,” Reynolds said. “We watch out for each other. We support each other. I wasn’t about to just stand there and watch the building burn and know somebody could have been in there. It wouldn’t have been right.”
Luckily nobody was injured in the fire, but several people lost everything including Marlon Braxton.
“I see the smoke and I look, ‘Oh, it’s my building,’” he said. “I started pouring out in tears.”
Braxton was at work when the fire first erupted a few doors down from where he lives.
“When I see all of that fire, I knew I lost everything,” he said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation but people living here are grateful it wasn’t any worse, like Braxton who says he is just grateful to be alive.
“My life is still here,” he said. “I still got a job. I got a lot of friends and family. I know people will look out for me and do whatever they can for me.”
Photos of the fire, taken by Kevin Rapier and FOX59's Hannah Follman, can be seen below:
AFD officials said on scene that no people were injured in the fire, but added that three pet cats were rescued and taken to a vet. The extent of the injuries to the cats is not known.
Fire crews reported that only eight apartment units were affected by the blaze. The cause of the fire is now under investigation.
Red Cross crews are being contacted to help anyone who was affected by the fire. Currently, crews are reportedly in touch with tenants for temporary housing.