23 families displaced by Marietta apartment fire

MARIETTA, Ga. — Investigators are searching for the cause of a fire that forced more than 70 people to evacuate a Marietta apartment building.

Most of the roof of the Marquis Place apartments was destroyed in the fire Thursday evening.

The fire destroyed 15 units and cut power to eight more. On Friday, the building was condemned.

Kiera Willis recorded the flames shooting from her Franklin Road apartment on her smartphone.

"It was just big flames, like, out of nowhere. I was just so shocked. It was scary," Willis said.

"We get a bang at the door, 'Get out of your house, your building is on fire.' The building was just in flames," resident Christopher Bonaparte said.

Witnesses said other residents on the second floor did not have time to run and were forced to jump off the balcony.

News Chopper 2 captured the thick black smoke and firefighters pouring water on the building from above.

The Marietta Fire Department believes the flames began in the attic, but the investigation is ongoing.

All residents safely escaped the building. The 47 adults and 24 children in the building are working with the Red Cross to find a place to stay.

WSBTV