More than 50 people lose homes after fourth apartment fire in one month at Raleigh apartment complex
A fire at a north Raleigh apartment forced dozens of residents out of their homes Thursday night for the fourth time in just over a month.
Posted — UpdatedThe first happened on August 17. Then another, just two days later. Fire fighters returned again on Sept. 1.
The fourth fire happened Thursday night, forcing residents from their homes once again.
Fire officials said 24 apartments in the building were impacted, and between 50 and 75 people were displaced. Everyone in building 662 at the Bridges at North Hills complex had to leave overnight because power was turned off in the building. The American Red Cross was still there at 4 a.m. trying to help people find a place to sleep.
"Look at it. That's my house. My belongings are in there. Everything I own is in there," said resident Quinell Harrison, who has heard all four fire alarms go off since August. "This is the fourth fire in a month. This is beyond me right now."
"They're about their money and they're not about the people that have been impacted because of their gross negligence and how they treat people who live here," said William Henderson, a resident who was visibly upset. "I'm mad and everybody else who lives here is mad."
Henderson said he has missed 16 days of work due to the fires. Another resident in the building said she has been saving receipts from the food she had to buy while being away from her apartment.
The Raleigh fire department is actively investigating and has not named a cause in any of the incidents. Bridge property management says they've hired their own investigators.
“Based on their findings, we do not believe faulty wiring or structural issues have caused any fires," management said, adding that they are working with the Raleigh Fire Department ”to determine who or what may have started these.”
"Four fires! Could have lost our life all four times, you know what I'm saying? I'm not a cat. I don't got nine lives," said Harrison.
When the WRAL Breaking News Tracker was at the last fire on Sept. 1, firefighters said something needed to change.
No one was injured in the fires, which are under investigation.
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