Published: August 06, 2008 12:00 am            

PHOTOS: Fire severely damages apartment building

Eight units destroyed, $800,000 in damage estimated; no injuries

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The only good news sisters Courtney Chargualaf and Tiffany Roland got Thursday night -- other than nobody being hurt or killed in the Riverbend Apartments fire -- came from another neighbor made homeless by the large-scale blaze that destroyed eight units: "At least you won't have much stuff to take with you," the man said, laughing.

Courtney was alone in the townhouse apartment at 1512 E. Lindsey St. when she "heard someone in the street yelling to get out."

"I freaked out 'cause I didn't know what was going on and saw a crowd in the street," she said.

Courtney said she searched and found a leash for Gus, the sisters' lab mix, who was running excitedly up and down the stairs and "we got out."

Courtney said she knew Tiffany was still at work when she didn't see her car. "I kept trying to call her but her battery was dead," she said. "Then she drove up -- after our roof was already on fire."

The call came in to the fire department at 7:55 p.m. The apartment complex is on the south side of Lindsey, east of Oakhurst Avenue, and contains 16 units. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire before it spread to the other eight units, but are still assessing smoke and water damage.

"They stopped it. There's water and smoke damage, but no fire loss," said Deputy Chief Jim Bailey. "Firefighters prevented it from spreading."

Damage to the eight units -- flats and townhouses -- that were destroyed was estimated at $800,000, Bailey said.

Fire Chief James Fullingim said the apartments "were fully involved and flames already were coming through the roofs when we got here."

Upon their arrival, firefighters evacuated the complex and performed a primary search, finding no fire victims.

Six Norman fire stations responded to the scene and Fullingim requested the mutual aid of one Moore engine company "to relieve our guys."

Crowds of people were drawn to the scene by the funnel cloud of dark smoke that filled the sky and settled throughout east Norman. As spectators got closer, they were silenced by the destructive display of percolating flames that demolished the roofs, chimneys and walls of the apartment complex.

Fire officials and the apartment manager were telling displaced residents they could stay at the Residence Inn for one night free of charge.

"I'm about to hand out vouchers," Bailey said. "The cost is paid for by Residence Inn and picked up by the insurance company. It's a good program."

Bailey said American Red Cross workers also were on their way to offer help.

Meanwhile, investigators were on the scene trying to determine the fire's cause. Firefighters were putting water on burned wood and hot ashes two hours after the fire began.

"It's a very warm and humid night. Fortunately no one was hurt. The firefighters will be here for several more hours putting out hot spots," Bailey said.

Tiffany called her husband, Chris, a musician in the Navy who just finished basic training in Virginia. Although relieved to know that Tiffany, Courtney and Gus were all right, Chris was depressed to learn that his tuba was destroyed in the blaze, along with the couple's wedding gifts that Tiffany said she'd just gotten out of storage in preparation for her move to Virginia next month.

The sisters said they would probably drive to their parents' house in Altus later that night. "They're concerned about us and want us home," Courtney said.

Tom Blakey 366-3540 tblakey@normantranscript.com

        

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