PINEVILLE, N.C. — Pineville Fire Department, Charlotte Fire Department and other fire agencies had to put out a massive two-alarm fire at an apartment complex in Pineville Thursday.
[ PHOTOS: Massive fire engulfs south Charlotte apartments ]
Firefighters were called to the Willow Ridge Apartments on Willow Ridge Drive, near CMC-Pineville, just before noon and arrived to smoke and flames billowing out of the building.
MEDIC said everyone managed to get out of the building safely and none of the residents were hurt.
Apartment resident Christine Jordan told Channel 9 that the entire ordeal was terrifying.
"(I) went out on the porch and that's when I saw black smoke coming from the bedroom next door so I yelled at my husband because he was asleep," Jordan said. "I was grabbing my coat, my dog and I went out to get my purse and that's it."
More than 40 responders were called to the scene and two firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion.
Chopper 9 flew overhead as fire engulfed the apartment complex and firefighters battled to get the intense flames under control. At one point a burning gutter collapsed to the ground, narrowly missing a firefighter.
Watch as a gutter collapses, barely missing a firefighter
Fire officials said at least eight units were damaged, and that the fire forced 14 families -- 35 people total -- to be displaced.
Steve Nason is with The Red Cross and spent Thursday night with those families, helping them with immediate needs like food, toiletries and a place to stay.
“This one is a little bit bigger than anything we've seen,” Nason said.
The cause of the fire hasn't been determined.
Watch our Chopper 9 live stream of the fire:
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