Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 22, 1995 TAG: 9503220061
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KIMBERLY N. MARTIN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A cigarette butt discarded in mulch behind a Ridgewood Farms condominium Monday evening sparked the fire that caused more than $435,000 in structural damage and changed the lives of 10 Salem families, said Salem Assistant Fire Chief Pat Counts.
Officials were able to pinpoint the fire's origin from a building inspector's call. He was on the property to inspect a remodeled condominium in the building when he spotted smoke coming from mulch behind the building, Counts said.
The mulch - shredded wood that is extremely flammable when dry - was put down just last week, Counts said.
``The fire started on the ground and climbed the deck like a wick,'' he said. About five minutes later when firefighters arrived on the scene, the flames were coming over the building's other side.
Although no residents were injured in the blaze, which was Salem's largest in several years, the fire left the building's 10 families homeless. Some were forced to bunk with relatives Monday evening, while others checked into hotels.
But come Tuesday morning, they were back. Sitting on cars, water coolers and lawn chairs, they waited for firefighters to allow them to sort through the charred remains of their homes.
Palmer Pratt was one of the lucky ones. His condominium was one of five that sustained only water damage.
``When I saw it last night, I didn't think we'd be able to save anything,'' Pratt said.
Tuesday, he and his wife loaded bundles of clothing - still on hangers - and canned goods into his car. They'll be coming back with a truck for their furniture, which firefighters covered with tarps to prevent water and soot damage.
Families living in the building's penthouse condos got the brunt of the damage when the cedar shakes on the building's roof caved in, allowing fire to enter the residences.
Those residents spent most of the day waiting for firefighters to shore up the staircases, so they could assess the damage and reclaim their possessions.
Meanwhile, L.M. Day made dozens of trips to his condo doing just that. By midafternoon, his hands and face were splotched with soot, and he had a team of helpers assembled.
The Rev. Robert Smith of First Presbyterian Church in Roanoke was part of that team. Clad in T-shirt and jeans, Smith helped build the pile of books, sculptures and teddy bears on a hill across from the building's shell.
``We're concerned with the Days at this point, but we're willing to help anyone we can,'' Smith said. ``We had a number of our folks there to help carry out things that were real precious'' to the Days.
But those things weren't what mattered, Day said.
``Getting the people out, that's what was important. All of this stuff can be replaced.''
Any families needing assistance can contact the American Red Cross. As of Tuesday, no requests had been made, a disaster specialist said.
by CNB