ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. — After a thorough investigation, the Rowan County Fire Marshal determined the four-alarm apartment fire that displaced 59 residents was accidental.
Firefighters said it was caused by improper disposal of smoking materials in a breezeway area. Investigators do not suspect any intentional actions or criminal activity.
The complex, which sits off Julian Road, between Salisbury and Granite Quarry, erupted in flames around 7 p.m. Saturday. No one was seriously injured, but there were some minor injuries.
[ READ MORE >> 59 residents displaced following four-alarm fire at Rowan County apartment complex ]
“Nothing about these findings changes the hardship that so many families have experienced,” the fire marshal wrote in a statement Wednesday. “Homes were lost, lives were disrupted, and for many, the future suddenly became uncertain. My hope is simply that having these answers provides some measure of closure and helps residents continue moving forward.”
The final written report is still being completed. It should be available for public release in a couple weeks.
VIDEO: Multiple crews respond to four-alarm apartment fire in Rowan County
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