An early morning fire in an east Charlotte apartment community has sent seven people to the hospital, including three with serious injuries, reports the Observer’s news partner WBTV.
The Charlotte Fire Department says 130 people were displaced in the fire at the Woodscape apartments on Farm Pond Lane. In all, 40 apartment units were affected in the fire, which the department first tweeted about at 4:28 a.m.
It took more than 50 firefighters an hour to put out the heavy flames, the department said in a tweet.
The fire department sent out at tweet shortly after 6 a.m. saying Farm Pond Road remained closed in the 5600 block near Albemarle Road.
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Charlotte TV station WSOC reported the flames and heat were so intense that two tenants had to jump to safety from the third floor. Among those who jumped was a woman who first tossed a baby to someone on the ground below, a witness told the station. That woman broke her ankle when she jumped, the witness told the station.
WBTV spoke to tenants of the apartment building.
“I opened my door and all I seen was flames,” tenant Renee Mack told WBTV.
“I didn’t hear no smoke alarm, no sprinklers, no nothing… We just pretty much just started running.
At temporary shelter is being opened by the Red Cross to help the 130 tenants. The fire department says the shelter will open at 8 a.m. at Albemarle Road Middle School, 6900 Democracy Drive.
