Apartment Fire Puts Strain On Red Cross

The Red Cross is assisting several families impacted by a fire at a Pineville apartment complex.

The fire Friday night destroyed eight apartments at the Colonial Village at Meadow Creek. Saturday, residents were able to go inside the apartments and salvage their belongings.

Newlywed Terri Rowe just moved into her apartment in January. She said she and her husband were getting ready to leave for a dinner date when he first noticed the building was on fire.

Rowe said “He came back to where I was and started banging on the door and said, 'Terri, get out, there’s a fire.'"

The Rowe’s and other families affected by the fire were getting help by the Red Cross. Many are staying in hotels.

But the agency is also in need. In the midst of tough budget times, the Red Cross has already helped dozens of families after fires at both the Charlotte Woods and Beacon East Chase apartments in Charlotte this month.

Terri Rowe is thankful for the help and glad that she survived the fire.

“I have my life and I have my husband, because things you can replace but I can’t replace him,” she said.

Investigators have not released a cause of the fire.

One person was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure, but officials said no one was seriously hurt.