CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — Families who lost everything are coming together to collect items for those impacted by the fire that burned through the roof of the Thrive Apartment Homes Oct. 16.
Ten apartments were affected, and some families lost everything.
“The wall is just like, it’s just flaring” said resident Kiara Parker. “I’m like, we got to go, I grab my baby and I just just run out and I just start banging on everybody door like, ‘Please get out. Get out.'”
Parker alerted her neighbors after seeing her living room up in flames.
“I was opening it, she was like ‘get out it’s on fire, get out,'” said Jalexis Brown. “I’m just like, I’m having a panic attack at this point. So I’m just happy everybody was safe, but it was really scary.”
Another resident, Sierra McKnight, found out about the fire from her sister.
“My sister was actually driving past on her lunch break and she’s seen the smoke and called me and said, ‘I think your house is on fire,'” McKnight said. “So I rushed to my house.”
Now, these mothers are working to build everything back up that they lost.
“The process will come and it will take time, but give back to all of us that were involved, cause it’s not just our three houses, it’s five other households,” McKnight said.
Their community donations drive is collecting the basic necessities.
“Household items, personal hygiene products, laundry, things like cleaning supplies, different stuff like that,” McKnight said. “And then just like pots and pans and plates and spoons and microwaves, microwave carts, furniture, stuff like that.”
The families are beyond grateful for the outpouring of support.
“So it’s amazing,” said resident Alexis Bardini. “Extremely supported, so it’s a little bit of light during this time.
Said Brown: “[I’m] overwhelmed with it because you just never know your community until you need them. And when I tell you we have a village, we have a village fighting for us. And it’s just amazing.”
Parker said the most important thing is that everyone got out safe.
“I don’t know if I [would] be able to sit here and do this if someone would have got seriously injured,” Parker said. “But thank God that everyone is here.”
This fire struck without warning, so these women encourage everyone to check the batteries in your smoke detector and buy renter’s insurance.