Apartment Fire Destroys Homes

An overnight apartment fire damaged nearly two dozen units at "The Woods of Savannah" on Hodgson Memorial Drive. Eight apartments were completely destroyed by the fire that started around midnight - 3 others received major damage...12 more minor damage. Two elderly residents of the assisted living complex received life threatening injuries - one had to be flown to the Augusta Burn Center. Five firemen received minor injuries and six Metro Police officers had to be treated for smoke inhalation. Two off-duty firemen were first on the scene and began evacuating people before the first fire engines arrived.

It was a terrifying night for the elderly residents who lived in that building. Many are happy to have escaped unscathed - but aren't sure what's next as they wait for investigators to assess the structural integrity of the building after last night's massive fire. Florence Sussman had just gone to bed for the night when she heard the alarm, “All of a sudden I heard like the smoke detector - I heard beep, beep. I got up, I looked and it was red so I opened up the door and the whole hall was smoky.” The same sight greeted Lavina Yeo after she was awakened by her dog, “When I got to the door they started yelling "Get out! Get out!" Both made it outside safely - only then did they realize how big the problem was. Yeo says, “You could just see the bust of fire just go up and it just oh - just went crazy.” Dozens of people evacuated from the building in their assisted living community...most with little time to grab anything on their way out. “You went downstairs and there were people in their nightgowns, no shoes, no jacket, no nothing - some of them with the wheelchair,” says Sussman. Sharyn Baggett of the Savannah Red Cross says, “A lot of these people left and all they had on was their housecoat - so they don't have any clothes, they don't have any shoes, they don't have their glasses, some folks don't have their dentures - so they need very basic needs.”

Two off-duty firefighters eating across the street were first on the scene. They were the ones who began evacuations. Captain Kevin Tomko says, “I think it speaks about the level of dedication that our firefighters have. I mean obviously they love what they do or they wouldn't do it.” It's the dedication displayed by all those who responded that these people are grateful for. “Everyone helped - the police, the fire department - just wonderful. So we're just thankful for all of them - for all of them,” says Yeo. Thankful - but wondering when they might be able to return home. “I can't even go back and get even the medication that I have, but I’ll survive, I’ll survive another day, maybe,” says Sussman.

Some people who lived in the building reported hearing an explosion and were concerned someone smoking may have ignited an oxygen bottle... Savannah Fire, though, ruled that out Wednesday afternoon. They say while smoking has not been ruled out as a contributor - the cause of the fire has been determined to be accidental. What folks may have thought was an explosion was actually a phenomenon firefighters call "flashover" - which occurs when everything in a room ignites at one time. Many of the people displaced have gone to stay with friends or family...but the Red Cross is assisting eleven people with temporary accommodations. The organization has been called upon to assist following a large number of fires in the last couple of months. "We’re averaging two a day and it is impacting our chapter and we need donations to help us continue what we do and helping people just like this,” says Baggett.

If you would like to make a donation to assist the Red Cross - you can mail it to:
Savannah Red Cross
P.o. box 9987
Savannah, ga 31412
Or you can go to their website: WWW.SAVANNAHREDCROSS.ORG.