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ATLANTA — Crews are battling a fire at a large apartment in northeast Atlanta.
The Atlanta Fire Department said Channel 2 Action News that at 10:36 p.m. Friday, crews received reports of a fire at the LaVista Walk Apartments Reserve on LaVista Road NE.
When crews arrived, they saw heavy smoke coming from the property.
Authorities said when firefighters entered the building, the fire was larger than they thought.
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After sounding a triple alarm, additional teams arrived to assist in the attack.
Several residents said Channel 2’s Justin Carter that they thought it was a false alarm, but quickly realized something was wrong when they smelled smoke and heard the commotion outside.
“The fire alarm goes off all the time,” resident Kala Scott told Carter. “I just got out.”
Scott said people started knocking on his door.
“I heard people knocking on the door and my friend called me, ‘It’s real, GET OUT!’ I’m like, “Okay, I’m going out!” »
Authorities added that MARTA was called to assist residents who had evacuated the shelter in place during the investigation.
No injuries were reported.
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All residents of the building have been displaced. There is no word on the number of people.
Firefighters say the city created the Central Park Recreation Center to serve as a shelter for displaced people.
The authorities said Channel 2 Action News that a “considerable amount” of the complex had been damaged.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
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Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens shared the following statement:
“First, the City is working with its partners to ensure affected families have the resources and support they need as they navigate such a difficult time.
Thanks to the rapid response time, continued training and courage of the Atlanta Fire Department, no fatalities were caused by this massive fire at such a large multi-family complex. I commend AFRD Chief Rod Smith and his department, APD, E911, emergency management personnel along with the Department of Parks and Recreation and other agencies who worked through the night to open a shelter for displaced families and coordinated emergency support services for the days and weeks to come. Currently, the Red Cross is present at our Central Park recreation center and is helping approximately 20 families.
The City will continue its mitigation measures today and is planning some road closures while the site is secured.
My thoughts remain with the families and the City will continue to find other ways to support their path to recovery.
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