Fire damages Pier 1 Apartments
No one was hurt, but a shelter was set up at the fairgrounds for displaced residents
FORT WALTON BEACH — An early morning fire at Pier 1 Apartments on Sunday destroyed 6 units and damaged 12 others, and left about 19 people staying at a shelter.
Ocean City-Wright firefighters were called to the blaze about 3:30 a.m. at the complex at 210 Pelham Road.
Pier 1 Security Officer Eric Berkowitz was making his rounds when he discovered the fire in the back stairwell of one of the apartment buildings.
"The whole stairwell was engulfed in flames," he said Sunday afternoon. "I told someone to call 911 as I tried to put it out with my fire extinguisher."
Berkowitz helped Okaloosa County sheriff's deputies knock on doors and to get tenants to safety. Everyone made it out of the building before the fire spread, but a few pet birds and cats were killed, Berkowitz said.
No injuries to people were reported.
Ocean City-Wright Capt. Dusty Carnley said six apartments on the second floor of the building were considered a total loss and 12 others were "rendered unlivable."
The State Fire Marshal's Office was investigating the cause of the blaze later Sunday.
Sunday's fire occurred next to a building where a fire destroyed an apartment last August.
A handful of residents waited outside for hours to get clearance to return to their homes. William and Brooke Barnett said they were awakened by deputies knocking on doors.
"It sounded like my door was being kicked in," William said as their pet cats sat in carriers at his feet. "Then when I opened it, the smoke hit my face."
Scarlett Hamilton and Michael Roe said they had just moved into their apartment last month. They had yet to asses the damage, but said deputies told them it likely was flooded.
"I didn't really grab anything but my chemotherapy medication," said Hamilton, who has stage 4 melanoma.
"We're glad we made it out," Roe added. "Things can be replaced."
Pier 1 property manager Jim McElroy rushed to the complex when he was alerted to the fire. He said he was grateful no one was hurt.
"Everything can be fixed, and when we get through renovations this property will be beautiful," McElroy said.
Firefighters were just starting to pack up their gear at 1 p.m. Sunday. Crews from Fort Walton Beach, Mary Esther Fire, Okaloosa Island, Florosa, Niceville, Holley-Navarre and Eglin Air Force Base Fire assisted Ocean City-Wright.
The American Red Cross and Okaloosa County officials opened up a temporary shelter at the C. H. "Bull" Rigdon Fairgrounds on Lewis Turner Boulevard about 10:30 a.m. About 19 people were there Sunday afternoon, according to the county spokesman Christopher Saul.
"The shelter will be open as long as necessary," Saul said. "We don't have a closure date at this time."