O'FALLON, Mo. — Firefighters are responding to a large fire at an apartment complex in O'Fallon, Missouri.
The fire broke out sometime before 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Enclave at Winghaven Apartments, located on Applerock Drive, according to the Wentzville Fire Protection District.
Fire Chief Steven Mosher said the fire had already reached the attic as the first crews arrived at the scene, so a second alarm was called immediately. Winds made it difficult for crews to get the fire under control.
No injuries were reported, but several families will be displaced, Mosher said.
“Well, the guy banged on the door to get us out of here to evacuate the building. I thought it was something that they could put out real fast," said tenant, Ryan Sanders.
“It’s a shame. There’s a lot of elders in here that we have to worry about,” said Sanders’ girlfriend, Summer Estes.
A neighbor told 5 On Your Side’s Robert Townsend before the fire broke out someone in a third-floor unit was “grilling food at the time." Hours after firefighters put out the fire, there was a scorched grill on the grass outside the fire-ravaged apartment building.
“I’ve been told somebody in that apartment had an emergency and they took him to the hospital and left the grill cooking and it went up in flames after that,” said Zachary Garcia, who lives next door.
Garcia’s building also had to be evacuated.
“I’m just so glad ... thankfully nobody was injured,” said Garcia.
A spokesperson with the American Red Cross says they are helping 12 families, but that number could rise.
This is a breaking news story. 5 On Your Side will update it as more information becomes available.
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