Early report: No one injured in Clinton fire
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By Steven Martens | Wednesday, December 06, 2006 |
(Steven Martens/QUAD-CITY TIMES) Gerald Zamora and his daughter, Matilda, 1, sit on a cot in the gymnasium of Jefferson Elementary School in Clinton, which was being used as a shelter Tuesday night for people evacuated from a fire at the Deer Ridge Apartments, 262 N. Bluff Blvd, building 305.. No injuries were reported. It was not clear late Tuesday if more than one of the buildings in the three-building complex had been damaged by the fire.
TODAY: (Updated: 10:45 a.m.) CLINTON, Iowa — Although officials believe no one was injured in a fire that destroyed a Clinton apartment building Tuesday night, it may be Thursday before firefighters can do a thorough search of the debris to determine if anyone was killed or determine a cause.
Clinton Fire Chief Mark Regenwether said this morning that the fire destroyed the main building of the Deer Ridge apartment complex at 262 N. Bluff Blvd. in Clinton. The main building, a three-story brick structure, had 27 apartments. Two smaller, 12-unit buildings were not damaged by the fire, and residents in those buildings should be able to return to their homes later today, Regenwether said.
In all, 60 people were displaced by the fire, and all but 16 of them had found temporary living accommodations with friends or relatives by this morning, Regenwether said.
Efforts to battle the fire, which was reported just before 8 p.m., were complicated by the icy conditions of the private drive that leads to the apartment complex and the ice created when water used the battle the fire froze while running downhill toward the road, Regenwether said. Fire trucks had difficulty getting up the icy road to the scene of the fire.
Damage to the building was estimated at $500,000, Regenwether said. The building was not equipped with sprinklers.
The Gateway Chapter of the American Red Cross is meeting with the displaced families today to identify their needs, such as places to stay, food to eat, medications or health items and clothes to wear.
Monetary donations to help the families with these needs can be made to the Red Cross by calling (563) 242-5223 or sending a check to PO Box 1565, 1220 13th Ave. N., Clinton, IA, 52732.
EARLIER STORY
By Steven Martens and Jason Liegois
CLINTON, Iowa — Firefighters from Clinton, Fulton and Camanche remained on the scene early today at a major fire at a Clinton apartment complex that has displaced dozens of people from their homes.
Residents near the Deer Ridge apartment complex, 262 N. Bluff Blvd., said that the flames could be seen shooting skyward at the complex that is located at the top of a hill. Ashford University is located nearby.
Clinton police Cpl. Bill Greenwalt said the fire erupted at about 8 p.m. There are more than 40 apartments at the three-building complex, he said, but only one of the buildings appeared to be on fire. The other two buildings have yet to be checked for fire damage.
Greenwalt did not know how many apartments are in the building that is on fire.
At least 50 people, and maybe more, could be displaced, he said.
“Officers were quick in evacuating everyone and getting them to safety,” he said. “We believe everyone has been accounted for.”
No injuries have been reported, he added, and there have been no reports of missing persons. A cause has not been determined.
Gary Rentz of Clinton said his sister lives in the complex. He came down after hearing about the fire, hoping to find her. “I have no information as far as what happened to her,” he said.
The American Red Cross of the Quad-Cities Area, Moline, is helping the Gateway chapter set up a shelter in the gymnasium at Jefferson School in Clinton for the displaced residents, said agency spokeswoman Leslie Anthony. The Moline chapter was taking a load of cots to the shelter, she added.
At the shelter, Annabelle Suarez and her boyfriend, Gerald Zamora, sat with their five children between the ages of 1 and 11. They had been living at the complex since August after they moved from Houston, Texas.
Suarez said they raced out with what they had on their backs.
“With five kids you don’t have time to get nothing,” she said.
She added that she cleaned some of the apartments in the building that burned. She knew a lot of people there and said she was glad everyone got out OK.
Another resident, Robert King, lived in an apartment with two sisters, and two nieces ages 7 and 9 months. He heard the fire alarm and went and knocked in doors getting people out.
“Everything burned up,” King said. “Christmas toys, everything.”
Kathy Klahn, chairwoman of the board of directors for the Gateway Red Cross chapter, said that several churches already had donated food and clothing. Both Wal-Mart and Hy-Vee also are donating food.
“The community comes together quickly when something like this happens,” Klahn said. “It’s amazing.”
Terra Harris, who lives nearby, said she noticed the blaze and said the flames can be seen “half-way across town.”
Jessica Eggers, who also lives close to the complex, said that shortly after 9 p.m., she “looked outside and saw all the plumes going up.”
Greenwalt said the cold created problems.
“As usual, the cold weather does cause difficulties,” he said.
Water running down the hill from the complex froze creating a sheet of ice, he said. Iowa-American Water Co. was called to deal with some water issues, and Alliant Energy Co. shut off the gas mains.
The Municipal Transit Administration buses were used to transport residents from the complex to the shelters.
The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2450 or newsroom@qctimes.com.
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