ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – More than a dozen people are displaced from their homes and one person remains hospitalized after a devastating fire at an apartment complex in Roanoke County.
Community members are already rallying to help those impacted by the fire.
The American Red Cross showed up at the Peters Creek Apartments within two hours of the fire. And a nearby church heard about those in need, especially children, and has launched a donation drive of its own.
“Our volunteers are the ones who really make a difference,” said Jackie Grant, executive director of the American Red Cross – Southwest Virginia Chapter. “They’re the ones who are waking up whether it’s two o’clock in the morning or two o’clock in the afternoon arriving within two hours of a home fire to be able to really open up a case for a family and provide services for them that they need.”
North Roanoke Baptist Church launched its donation drive after nearby Burlington Elementary School reached out saying two students had been impacted by the fire and lost everything.
“I figured I would ask our church because these are our immediate neighbors. We want to love all our neighbors but these neighbors are really close,” said Daniel Palmer, lead pastor of the church.
He said the community has already responded in a big way: A Facebook post about the need for donations has already been shared hundreds of times. And an online donation link has already brought in more than $6,000 in donations.
“It’s going to be a while before they have a permanent place to stay again so we just want to bridge that gap with clothing, probably some direct financial assistance, and probably some gift cards to provide for meals while they don’t have a facility, kitchen that sort of thing to prepare those meals in.”
The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.