Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 6, 1995 TAG: 9509060097
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LISA K. GARCIA STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
When she stepped out of the shower Tuesday night, she was greeted by a frantic pounding on her door.
The balcony of her second-floor apartment was on fire, according the man at the door, and the flames were spreading.
Deanna Preston, who lives in the first-floor apartment beneath Poston's, said she smelled smoke and ran out through her patio door as burning debris rained on her.
``The fire was coming through the balcony,'' she said. ``Fire, sparks, everything was dropping down.''
No one was injured in the blaze, which gutted Poston's apartment and caused extensive damage to Preston's.
As Roanoke County firefighters tore away charred wallboard and cut holes in the roof above the apartments, the two women talked with neighbors they had not met before the fire.
With many of her belongings still in packing boxes, Poston guessed she had lost everything - clothes, stereo, television and furniture. Most of it will be covered by renter's insurance.
Preston had no insurance.
There were no smoke alarms in either apartment. Neighbors in the building were alerted to the danger by Lance Greene, who lives next door to Poston.
Greene said he heard his neighbor's door slam. When he looked, flames were wrapping around the building's front, and smoke was coming out of Poston's door.
``We immediately knocked on doors to get people out,'' Greene said as he cradled his young son in his arms.
The fire began about 7 p.m. and was under control by 8:20. Fire Inspector Randy Spence declined to speculate on the cause until his investigation was complete.
by CNB