BLAZE AT THE BREAKWATER: Around 90 firefighters battle fire in New Albany
The day started around
"Crews went in, did initial attack on the fire [and were] successful in knocking the main body of the fire down," Juliot said.
But wind gusts of around 15 miles per hour meant crews would be on scene through the night and into Sunday in temperatures dipping well below 40 degrees.
The 125-unit luxury apartment building that runs along the 400 block of
A second, 66-unit building in the complex was completed last month and holds around 45 occupants. That building was not affected by the fire, according to
The scene on Saturday stretched east from Fourth and
Six aerial fire trucks were used to battled the fire from above, drenching the complex in water and creating cascades from the fourth-floor balconies to the street below.
Two
"We went on a defensive mode at that point," he said.
The building was left scarred with broken windows and charred exteriors. Heavy smoke poured from windows and holes that had been cut into the siding. The largest clouds fell on
"And I came out and I just saw the hose, I didn't see the building actually smoking [and] I thought it was one of our neighbors," he said.
"Then about 10-ish we came back out, saw more trucks, more smoke. Figured out it was the new apartments here and were kind of shocked."
But Lantz said he wasn't surprised by how fast and far the fire spread throughout the building given the weather conditions. The wind brought the smoke to his doorstep, leaving a lingering smell on his clothes each time he went back inside.
Around 80 units were believed to be affected by the fire. Juliot said it will be up to property managers and insurance companies to determine the extent of the damage, but in his opinion, "it's more than likely a total loss."
By Sunday morning, crews used an excavator to tear down deteriorating portions of the building along
As firefighters battled to salvage what they could on Saturday,
"It's unfortunate circumstances, but it feels great to be able to assist, and we're just fortunate that this section of the complex where the fire happened is not populated," Cairo said. "That's a huge, huge blessing and so we're just relieved that we don't have to worry about a rescue mission."
Cairo said the firefighters always let volunteers know how grateful they are for their help.
"And that's gratifying to know that they really appreciate that we are here to assist."
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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