Fire consumes apartment complex 01-20-2011

SEVEN FAMILIES WERE LEFT HOMELESS THURSDAY NIGHT AFTER A FIRE CONSUMES A SHELBY APARTMENT COMPLEX. THE FAST MOVING FIRE TORE THROUGH SHELBY APARTMENTS AROUND NOON ON THURSDAY.  FIRE CHIEF EUGENE DANIELS TOLD ABC SIX IT WAS A LONG FIGHT AGAINST THE STUBBORN BLAZE.  FIRE ENGINES FROM AROUND BOLIVAR COUNTY, INCLUDING CLEVELAND, WERE CALLED IN TO HELP GET THE FIRE UNDER CONTROL. IT TOOK FIREFIGHTERS ROUGHLY FIVE HOURS TO DO SO, BUT THEY HAD TO RETURN TO THE SCENE TO DOUSE SOME HOT SPOTS. CHIEF DANIELS SAYS IT APPEARS THE FIRE STARTED IN ONE OF THE BOTTOM APARTMENTS.  NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED BUT RESIDENTS LOST ALL THEIR POSSESSIONS IN THE FIRE.  EMERGENCY WORKERS WITH THE AMERICAN RED CROSS ARE HELPING PEOPLE FIND TEMPORARY HOUSING AND OTHER NECESSITIES.  ST. MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH IN SHELBY OPENED ITS DOORS THURSDAY FOR THE FIRE VICTIMS.  CLOTHING AND BLANKETS ARE NEEDED TO HELP OUT TONIGHT. RIGHT NOW THE CHURCH HAS ENOUGH SUPPLIES ON HAND TO MAKE SOUP FOR SIXTY PEOPLE BUT MORE FOOD DONATIONS ARE NEEDED. ST. MARY'S IS LOCATED AT M.L.K. DRIVE AND SECOND STREET IN SHELBY.