“You can see how bad it really was,” neighbors share experience of fire destroying Augusta apartment building

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – One person was injured and 16 units were destroyed after a fire at Nine Two Six West apartment complex on Stevens Creek Road Wednesday night.

The Augusta Fire Department said the call came in around 11 o’clock Wednesday night, when someone reported hearing fireworks for over two hours before noticing a fire on one of the buildings.

The smell of burning materials lingered. Smoke was still coming off of the remnants. Gallons of water were dripping from the charred 3300 building of the complex.

“I mean you can really see like how bad it really was,” said neighbor Alexis Johnson.

It was a different scene Wednesday night.

Towering flames were rising into the sky as crews battled the blaze.

“It was so smoky. It was kind of hard to even see the building, like all you were really paying attention to was the flames,” Johnson said.

Neighbors watched in horror.

“I just saw people coming home who were devastated,” said Tianna Brown. “They were just devastated that their apartment was just on fire and flames and just demolished.”

Crews were on scene shortly after the call. Neighbors said the fire was out by 3 a.m.

All tenants in the destroyed 16 units made it out, with only one reported injury.

Red Cross was out on Thursday assisting them.

“Sixteen people have just lost displacement to their homes, so I was just really praying for them last night and hoping they at least had somewhere to stay,” Brown said.

A cause hasn’t been determined yet, but neighbors said all signs point to fireworks – against apartment regulations.

“I could hear fireworks popping off in the distance, it seemed like they lasted for about a few hours,” Brown said. “We got an email towards earlier in the week where they were stating for us to not pop fireworks in the apartment complex.”

Many hoping the destruction serves as a lesson.

“If you are going to shoot off fireworks, it needs to be a completely open field where accidents like this can’t happen,” Johnsons said.

Many people who were displaced due to the fire have taken to social media to ask for help and donations. We’ll have more information on the investigation as it becomes available.

The Augusta Fire Department is asking the community to keep in mind the current weather conditions – saying dry and humid weather creates a breeding ground for fire catastrophes.

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