Two Albemarle County families are homeless after a morning fire tore through their homes. It happened about 8:30 Sunday morning in the Abbington Crossing Apartments complex off Rio Road.
The fire was enough to bring in four engines and one ladder truck, but people who live at the complex are relieved no one was hurt.
People in the 700 block of Old Brook Road try to salvage whatever they can, after a morning fire forced them to evacuate their homes. Fire units arrived on scene at the Abbington Crossing Apartments complex shortly after the 911 call came in at 8:37 Sunday morning.
Albemarle County Fire Rescue Chief Chip Walker said, "The occupant reported the fire was coming from the area of a utility closet, where the hot water heater and the HVAC-type components are stored."
Mary Ribero was in the building where the fire broke out. She said she could see the smoke and flames coming toward her unit, and immediately made sure she and her relatives got out.
"Let's go outside, everyone. We couldn't bring anything," she said.
Neighbors helped each other, but it was that kind of quick thinking that also saved pets in the complex too. Albemarle County Fire Rescue says there was minimal fire damage to the building, but a significant amount of water damage.
"Right now the Albemarle County Citizen Fire Corp are working with the American Red Cross trying to get those displaced families in a hotel or something for the next several evenings," Walker said.
But many say they are just thankful for the smoke alarms and the quick response.
"Yeah, it was keep beeping that we heard, so it was good. Because of that they saved it, otherwise it could have been a disaster," said Ankit Dolshi, who also lives in the apartment building.
The Albemarle County fire marshal says the cause of the fire was accidental, but it's still under investigation. Four fire departments, along with the Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad, were at the scene.
