Twenty people are homeless following a fire at a Commerce apartment complex Wednesday, just hours after a mobile home park fire in Gainesville displaced nine people.
Firefighters from the Commerce, Nicholson, Harrisburg, and Jackson County Correctional Institue fire departments responded to the blaze at Heritage Hills Apartments.
“Commerce Fire units were first on scene with heavy fire conditions coming from the apartments,” according to a report on the Commerce Fire Department Facebook page. “While fire personnel were working on extinguishment…Commerce Police Officers went door to door on all the apartments to help with evacuation of all occupants.”
Two of the apartments were heavily damaged by fire and two more sustained minor smoke and water damage. The 20 people who were displaced were transported by bus to Commerce First Baptist Church where they received assistance from Jackson County EMA and Red Cross.
The state fire marshal’s office is investigating the fire.
Meantime, a GoFund account has been established for some of the victims of the mobile home park fire in Hall County. GoFund account established for some victims of mobile home park fire
The Red Cross launched a nationwide Home Fire Campaign in 2014 which aims to reduce home fire deaths and injuries by 25 percent.
Since October 2014, it along with community partners have saved more than 2,320 lives, including 255 in Georgia by educating families about fire safety, helping them create escape plans, and installing free smoke alarms in high-risk areas. To learn more about the campaign and how you can get involved, visit redcross.org/homefires.
You can help people affected by disasters and countless other crises by making a gift to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. People can donate by visiting redcross.org/donate, calling 1-800-RED-CROSS, or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.