House torn down after fire

Four families are without a home after an early morning fire on the city’s east side.

“I said oh my god and when I walked out I saw the whole roof lit up,” said Canaveral Barton.

Barton watched as her boyfriend’s apartment she was living in burned early this morning. She watched later as crews tore down the house. Her boyfriend’s belongings are now gone, and so are is late mother’s belongings.

“I'm just really sad about all his memories just gone,” Barton said.

Barton and eight other lived inside four separate apartments on Remington Street . One of those residents noticed flames as he was returning home, and that person alerted everyone else inside. Seven adults and two babies amazingly made it out okay.

Fire officials say they suspect the fire started on the second floor, but the cause is undetermined at this time because the damages were so extensive.

“The roof burned off the house and collapsed into the second floor area,” said Deputy Fire Chief Scotty Williams. “As far as damage to the house, the contents are a total loss."

The Red Cross is helping the families. They'll be providing food, clothing and shelter for the next couple of days.