Strangers step in to help people escape during massive apartment fire

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga — A fire destroyed several units of the Alderwood Trail apartments in Doraville Monday, leaving two dozen families with nothing.

It took firefighters several hours to put out the fire.

Channel 2′s Tyisha Fernandes went to the complex and talked to victims, who told stories of strangers helping them get to safety and away from the flames.

When Shanel Ventura and her family realized their apartment building was on fire, the smoke was already hindering their escape.

“By time we got out it was so dark you couldn’t see the stairs," Ventura said. “I called 911. We just heard like kids screaming.”

Firefighters did not have to rescue anyone when they arrived at the burning building because strangers had already pulled over off Interstate 285 to help the victims, according to Dekalb Fire Chief Al Hogan.

“A gentleman pulled up and jumped out of a work van that was parked on the side of the building and started untying ladders and throwing ladders on the building,” Hogan said.

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One neighbor said some people had to jump out of windows. She said it was scary to watch but it was followed by an amazing display of kindness. She said everyone, even strangers, jumped in to help, including one man who gave money to some fire victims.

“Between the property manager, the guy from Florida and his wife -- they were able to put ladders up and get everybody out off the building,” Hogan said.

One neighbor said her brother turned down $200 one of the strangers was trying to give him.

“No, he didn’t take it, he said there were families that probably needed it more than he did,” the neighbor recalled.

Hogan said the people who came off 285 to help went above and beyond, especially considering the apartment building was not easy to find.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Man high on drugs set fire to his apartment then ran over neighbors, police say Police said he left the apartment to commit another crime and came back only to run over his neighbors with his truck.

Cox Media Group