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Thomasville apartment fire displaces 20 people weeks before Christmas

Thomasville apartment fire displaces 20 people weeks before Christmas
12 NEWS FACEBOOK PAGE AS WELL. THIS AFTERNOON, TWO JUVENILES HURT IN AN ACCIDENTAL SHOOTING IN WINSTON-SALEM ARE RECOVERING. POLICE SAY THIS HAPPENED ON EAST 23RD STREET NEAR DUNLEITH AVENUE. OFFICERS TELL US ONE OF THE JUVENILES FOUND A HANDGUN IN THE BACKYARD OF A HOME AND THEN ACCIDENTALLY SHOT THEMSELVES AND THE OTHER JUVENILE WHILE AN OVERNIGHT FIRE AT A THOMASVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY APARTMENT COMPLEX LEFT SOME PEOPLE WITHOUT A HOME TODAY. THE FIRE MARSHAL TELLS US IT STARTED AROUND 1030 LAST NIGHT ON JAMES AVENUE. WXII 12, STAR CONNOR SPOKE WITH NEIGHBORS ABOUT WHAT THEY SAW. NEIGHBORS I SPOKE TO SAY THEY COULDN’T BELIEVE WHAT THEY WERE SEEING WEDNESDAY NIGHT WHEN THIS FIRE BROKE OUT AT THE JAMES AVENUE APARTMENTS IN THOMASVILLE. THEY SAY IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG FOR THE FIRE TO SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING. A BATTALION CHIEF TELLS WXII 12 NEWS THAT THE BUILDING IS UNLIVABLE. THOSE IMPACTED SAY THE RED CROSS IS HELPING THEM OUT. DUST AND GOBBLE. AND BRANDI RATLIFF TELL ME THAT THEY LIVE ACROSS THE STREET. THEY SAY THEY RAN OUTSIDE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE GOT OUT SAFELY. SO I HAPPENED TO LOOK OUTSIDE. I JUST SEE FLAMES JUST STARTING OVER THERE IN THE CORNER. SO I JUST RUN DOWNSTAIRS. I’M YELLING MY SISTER NOW. I’M RUNNING DOWNSTAIRS. I RUN STRAIGHT ACROSS THE STREET AND WE BANG ON EVERYBODY’S DOOR TRYING TO HELP THEM GET OUT, TELL THEM TO GET OUT. AND IT JUST STARTED FROM THE END AND THEN IT JUST SLOWLY STARTED TO SPREAD AND YOU JUST HEAR, BOOM. IT WAS VERY SHOCKING, ESPECIALLY LIKE I DIDN’T SEE NO BUILD UP OR NO NO. LIKE IT WAS JUST ALREADY LIKE ENGULFED. BUT YEAH, IT WAS IT WAS BAD. AND IT’S LIKE THE WORST TIME OF THE YEAR FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN. YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR HOMES DIDN’T WANT TO APPEAR ON CAMERA, BUT THEY SAY THEY ARE GRATEFUL TO BE ALIVE. FIRE OFFICIALS SAY THAT TWO PEOPLE HAVE MINOR INJURIES AND THIS FIRE REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION. IN THOMASVILLE, I’M STAR CONNOR FOR WXII 12 NEWS. STAR THANK YOU. THE RED CROSS SAYS IT IS
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Thomasville apartment fire displaces 20 people weeks before Christmas
An overnight fire in Thomasville has left more than a dozen people without a home. The fire marshal said it started around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday at the James Avenue Apartments.A battalion chief confirmed the building is unlivable. Those impacted said the American Red Cross is helping them. "Our Red Cross disaster team is currently assisting over 20 people with the fire that happened overnight in Thomasville on James Avenue,” said Sharonne Hayes, the Regional Communications Manager with the American Red Cross. “We were on the scene providing immediate assistance and will continue to connect them with case workers to provide disaster relief."Top StoriesWinston-Salem police: No charges filed after Parkland High student dies from jumping from back of moving busWinston-Salem bar owner surrenders alcohol licenses after multiple violent incidents, safety officials sayNorth Carolina man arrested in connection to 'Street Takeover' events, Davidson County deputies sayGet the latest news stories of interest by clicking hereDustin Gobble and Brandi Ratliff, who live across the street, said they ran outside when they saw the flames to make sure everyone got out safely. "I look outside, and I just see flames starting over in the corner. I run downstairs, and straight across the street and bang on everybody's door trying to help them get out and it slowly started to spread, and you just hear boom,” recalled Ratliff.Some of the people who lost their homes didn't want to talk on camera but said they are grateful they are alive. "It was very shocking. It was already engulfed in flames. It's bad. It's the worst time of year for something like this to happen,” said Gobble.Fire officials said two people have minor injuries. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |Trending StoriesKeep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here.

An overnight fire in Thomasville has left more than a dozen people without a home. The fire marshal said it started around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday at the James Avenue Apartments.

A battalion chief confirmed the building is unlivable. Those impacted said the American Red Cross is helping them.

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"Our Red Cross disaster team is currently assisting over 20 people with the fire that happened overnight in Thomasville on James Avenue,” said Sharonne Hayes, the Regional Communications Manager with the American Red Cross. “We were on the scene providing immediate assistance and will continue to connect them with case workers to provide disaster relief."

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Dustin Gobble and Brandi Ratliff, who live across the street, said they ran outside when they saw the flames to make sure everyone got out safely.

"I look outside, and I just see flames starting over in the corner. I run downstairs, and straight across the street and bang on everybody's door trying to help them get out and it slowly started to spread, and you just hear boom,” recalled Ratliff.

Some of the people who lost their homes didn't want to talk on camera but said they are grateful they are alive.

"It was very shocking. It was already engulfed in flames. It's bad. It's the worst time of year for something like this to happen,” said Gobble.

Fire officials said two people have minor injuries. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here.