MORAINE — Ten families have been displaced and some apartment units are considered a total loss after a fire early Friday morning in Moraine.
>>Tenant awakened by smoke, flames at Washington Twp. apartment complex, alerts neighbors
Moraine firefighters and police officers were dispatched around 1:36 a.m. to the 3400 block of Main Street on initial reports of an apartment fire at the Larkspur Apartments.
Four out of the ten units of the apartment complex are considered a total loss, Moraine Police told News Center 7.
The apartment will be vacated for the night and the Red Cross is helping the 10 families that have been displaced.
A person suffered minor injuries but was not taken to the hospital.
Neighbors here at what used to be the Larkspur Apartments detail what sounded like explosions going off early this morning. Luckily everyone got out safely to tell their story.
“Everything in my house was destroyed, unfortunately,” one resident told News Center 7.
Some residents are grateful but devastated.
“Everything in there is materialistic and it could be replaced, it is, it will take a toll on us because it is hard money spent,” Daniel Becktold said.
Becktold had very little time to get his fiancé and others out of the complex.
“Daniel told me the apartment is gone,” said Angela Ogan, another resident. “He said that if I hadn’t woke up not being able to breathe we would’ve burned up in that fire. He had no idea none, I’m thankful for him.”
A domino effect began amongst the neighbors to get everyone out.
“We went around knocking on the doors to the neighbors in the back because we weren’t sure how far it would spread. He was knocking and we were all yelling for people to get out terrible, just terrible,” Ogan said.
Red Cross arrived Thursday morning to hand out financial aid and places to stay, but many renters didn’t have insurance so they’ll have to start over.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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