Chimney Ridge Apartment Fire
Two Alarm Blaze Destroys Six Homes
Posted: 3:13 PM, Oct. 15, 2006
By Anna Jensen
Many people are without a home after a two-alarm fire destroys part
of the Chimney Ridge apartment complex. The fire started around nine
in the morning and it took fire crews 45 minutes to get the blaze
under control; and well over an hour to put it out. Jenna Schryver
lives above the apartment where the flames broke out, with her
sister, "I was scared...I thought we were gonna get burned, but we
got down and it just started to spread all
over."
Colorado Springs Fire Department Lieutenant Carl Lyman says minutes
after getting the call they arrived to find 6 units in flames,"They
made a very quick exterior attack there was just so much fire they
couldn't get in right away." He says. He adds that remarkably no one
was seriously injured, "They had already self-evacuated so that
became a non-issue for us which is really good." Two women lived in
the apartment where the flames started and firefighters are still
interviewing them and trying to determine the cause. Despite
structural damage, repairs may take just weeks, but firefighters say
this is a good time for renters to safeguard themselves. "A
tremendous percentage of people don't insure their apartments. Its a
very minimal cost and your trusting not only you but your neighbors
are gonna be fire safe." Says Lyman. A thought echoed by Good
Morning Colorado anchor Zach Thaxton.; a tenant of a different
section of the building, "If you're in a house you're responsible
for your entire, you're responsible for what you have. In an
apartment you have to count on everyone else to be responsible. It
could've been me that started the fire and displaced someone, or vice
versa." He
says.
Rebuilding may be relatively easy, but recovering is not. Schryver
and her sister have no insurance, "My sister just got couches, we had
three computers, everything in there...everything that we have, I
mean, all our belongings, pictures, everything." Says Jenna. Those
left without a home are being offered other units at the complex, and
help through The Red Cross. The Fire Department says this is also a
good reminder for renters to take responsibility and check their own
smoke detectors.
