Durham public housing residents on edge after 3 fires in one week
Residents of a Durham public housing complex are on edge after three fires there – in just one week.
The latest fire happened Friday morning.
Even before the fires, residents of McDougald Terrace have had a rough year, as they approach the anniversary of the carbon monoxide crisis in their homes.
The approaching anniversary serves as a reminder of their previous struggle with a potentially-deadly issue in the housing complex. Because of that, the timing of these fires is especially traumatic for residents.
Fire investigators were inside Unit B on Friday, working to determine the cause of the morning's fire.
Another fire earlier in the week was caused, according to the fire department, by someone leaving a fan too close to their heater.
The other fire started in a pantry – with no explanation, yet, as to how it began.
Residents are starting to get scared. They’re very concerned about what's going on in their homes, especially with the one-year anniversary of the carbon monoxide evacuation fresh in their minds. Some residents were forced to be out of their homes for months during that crisis, earlier this year.
The CEO of the Durham Housing Authority said he does not yet have details on what caused this latest fire, but he called the first two fires "user error," caused by the resident's own actions.
He said the fires at not indicative of any broader issue.
The Resident Council President, Ashley Canady, has been in touch with all three families who had the fires, and she is offering them whatever kind of support they need.
