More than 20 people lose their homes after fire guts Columbia apartment complex
Collisions blocked traffic during the Monday morning commute on a Midlands stretch of a major highway, while the Columbia Fire Department battled a nearby blaze at an apartment complex.
The fire at the Briarsgate Apartments in the 800 block of Menlo Drive was not related to the crashes on Interstate 20, that were less than half a mile away.
More than 40 firefighters were battling the flames in one of the complex’s buildings that were reported just before 7 a.m. Multiple condominiums in that building were damaged, according to the fire department. Ten of the 12 units were occupied when the fire occurred.
One minor injury was caused by debris outside the building in the blaze, that was reported under control shortly after 8:30 a.m., the fire department said.
The Red Cross said it is aiding 21 people from eight families who were left without a home following the fire.
“Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by this morning’s massive fire,” Red Cross Central S.C. Chapter executive director Rebecca Jordan said in a news release. “The Red Cross remains committed to helping residents recover from the blaze.”
As the firefighters tried to contain the 2-alarm fire near the Broad River Road exit of I-20, multiple crashes were reported by the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
The wrecks, first reported at about 7:45 a.m., caused multiple eastbound lanes near Exit 65 to be blocked, the South Carolina Department of Transportation said on its Twitter feed.
Injuries were reported, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, but the number of people involved and their condition was not available.
Information on the number of vehicles involved was not available.
All lanes of traffic were open to drivers shortly after 8:30 a.m., SCDOT tweeted.
The Richland County Fire Marshal’s Office will investigate the cause of the fire, that saw members of the Irmo Fire Department help in getting the blaze under control.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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