Fire destroys building at Raleigh apartment complex, displacing residents

A massive fire has destroyed a building at an apartment complex near Cary Crossroads, leaving residents of 12 units displaced, the Raleigh Fire Department said.

Firefighters from Raleigh and Cary responded after 3 p.m. to a fire at Regency Place Apartments, located off Western Boulevard near Interstate 40.

Video from ABC11 and WRAL helicopters showed flames and plumes of smoke shooting into the air with much of an apartment building destroyed. Firefighters were hitting the fire from all angles, including from above on a ladder truck.

Raleigh Fire Battalion Chief Kevin Coppage told reporters no residents nor firefighters were injured. But an unknown number of residents were displaced, and the Red Cross is helping people find accommodations.

The fire is still under investigation, Coppage said, but it started from the outside of the building. As a result, the building’s fire alarms did not initially sound, he said.

The fire has displaced several people who have been asked to follow stay-at-home orders from the county and the state to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

“I understand what we are going through with COVID-19, and it’s really unfortunate that something like this would happen,” Coppage said. “However, we did call Red Cross out here to assist the families.”

The building is a total loss.

ABC11 said firefighters were asked at one point to get out of the building because of the precarious nature of the three-story building.

By 5:45 p.m., smoke was still coming from the roof and firefighters were still spraying water where part of the building had completely caved in.

This story was originally published April 3, 2020 at 5:18 PM.