CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — Families who lost everything are coming together to collect items for those impacted by the fire that burned through the roof of the Thrive Apartment Homes Oct. 16.
Ten apartments were affected, and some families lost everything.
“The wall is just like, it’s just flaring” said resident Kiara Parker. “I’m like, we got to go, I grab my baby and I just just run out and I just start banging on everybody door like, ‘Please get out. Get out.’”
Parker alerted her neighbors after seeing her living room up in flames.
“I was opening it, she was like ‘get out it’s on fire, get out,’” said Jalexis Brown. “I’m just like, I’m having a panic attack at this point. So I’m just happy everybody was safe, but it was really scary.”
Another resident, Sierra McKnight, found out about the fire from her sister.
“My sister was actually driving past on her lunch break and she’s seen the smoke and called me and said, ‘I think your house is on fire,’” McKnight said. “So I rushed to my house.”