$850k in damages reported, 30 people displaced following large apartment fire in south Charlotte

Table Of Content

• LATEST NEWS
• More than 90 firefighters 'heroically' rescued 15 workers from massive South Park fire
• Road closures
• ‘A good man’: Father of 4 dies in construction site fire in SouthPark, family says
• WCNC would like to send you push notifications about the latest news and weather.
• Bodies of 2 missing workers recovered at site of Charlotte 5-alarm fire

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles identified one as Demonte Sherill, a father of four. The blaze also involved a building in a construction zone which partially collapsed, the Charlotte Observer reported. WCNC Charlotte is committed to reporting on the issues facing the communities we serve.

LATEST NEWS

This is the worst thing that can happen in our industry and there are no words that can express the emotions we are experiencing from this loss. SouthPark Mall was closed due to the proximity of the fire and motorists were advised to stay away from the area as several roads were closed. Officials asked the public to not call 911 unless there is an absolute emergency. Both men were part of the construction crew working on the upscale apartment buildings when the fire broke out.

More than 90 firefighters 'heroically' rescued 15 workers from massive South Park fire

They said two more people were evaluated but were not transported. A construction worker who was trapped in a crane when the fire broke out has been rescued, Queen City News reports. Johnson said one of those rescued was a crane operator who had minor injuries.

Road closures

Video from the scene showed a construction worker was trapped in the crane that was in the middle of the construction zone. That worker was rescued from the crane a short time later. He was transported to a local hospital with non life threatening injuries. Fifteen construction workers were rescued by firefighters. Fire officials say two maydays were called during the rescue missions and firefighters had to go in to assist their colleagues who called the maydays.

We tell the stories of people working to solve persistent social problems. We examine how problems can be solved or addressed to improve the quality of life and make a positive difference. Large clouds of smoke and flames shot hundreds of feet in the air from the area of Barclay Downs Drive and Fairview Road, near SouthPark Mall. Officials said firefighters were tasked with extinguishing the "very fast-moving" fire, which was over 2,000 degrees. We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of the two people who were missing in the construction fire that took place yesterday.

South Park fire started on ground floor, Charlotte chief says. What we know. - Charlotte Observer

South Park fire started on ground floor, Charlotte chief says. What we know..

Posted: Fri, 19 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

WCNC would like to send you push notifications about the latest news and weather.

Over 90 firefighters from the Charlotte Fire Department rescued 15 people from the construction site. The two men who died were unable to get out of the fire, officials said. More than 90 firefighters were called to battle a massive fire at an apartment complex that was under construction near SouthPark Mall Thursday. The fire started shortly after 9am on Liberty Row Drive. — Charlotte city officials confirmed that two people died in the five-alarm fire that ignited Thursday morning in the South Park area of Charlotte.

Another worker told Channel 9 that a foam-spraying machine caught fire and then spread to the floors above. But as of Thursday afternoon, two workers who were in the area of the construction site where the fire initially broke out remain unaccounted for, the newspaper added. The Charlotte Fire Department says it is battling a massive blaze Thursday at a construction site in the North Carolina city’s SouthPark area. National building code allows for up to five floors of residential buildings to be constructed using fire retardant wood.

Charlotte Fire Department fighting blaze at construction site

However, even treated wood product as a substantially lower fire rating than concrete or most other construction material. Officials at the scene said crews will remain at the site overnight as firefighters continue to spray down hotspots. They have not yet entered the building as of Thursday evening because temperatures were too hot. A firefighter climbed up to help the crane operator safely climb down the ladder shortly before 11 a.m. Our Glenn Counts just spoke to the parents of a worker.

One person has been seriously injured as a result of the fire, Queen City News reports. "Then firefighters climbed over 100 feet up the crane to help rescue the operator who had begun climbing down," the official added. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Chief Johnny Jennings had praise Friday for firefighters who helped bring the 15 workers to safety. The chief said investigators aren't sure what set off the blaze and haven't been able to do a thorough investigation of the trailer. Looking back at past five-alarm fires in Charlotte's history, a storage building was destroyed by a five-alarm fire in southwest Charlotte in July 2022.

I also want to commend the heroic efforts by the Charlotte Fire Department, putting their lives on the line to help rescue 15 individuals. This is a demonstration of what serving the community is all about. Another witness spoke to Monreal about what happened when the fire started. For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app. — A five-alarm fire near the SouthPark Mall in south Charlotte broke out Thursday, causing a massive first responder presence to fight it.

New Year’s Eve parties, celebrations in Charlotte to ring in 2024 - WSOC Charlotte

New Year’s Eve parties, celebrations in Charlotte to ring in 2024.

Posted: Sat, 30 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

CMPD is asking that drivers avoid Liberty Row Drive, Assembly Street and Barclay Downs Drive until further notice. According to the chief, it was a fast-moving fire that climbed to temperatures well over 2,000 degrees. According to Charlotte Fire, firefighters were called to Liberty Row Drive to battle the fire. “I was hoping but just from the (Facebook Live), and the way the room filled up with smoke, I didn’t see it being any hope at that time,” she said. Not too long after that, Demonte Sherrill’s boss told Campbell his son didn’t make it out of the fire alive.

Quiroja said many of the workers are without their jobs and their tools, since they were forced to leave those behind when they rushed out. “They started getting out, they started screaming ‘get out, get out because the building is on fire,’” he described to Sáenz. Sáenz spoke with Alejandro Quiroja, who was working on the building’s metal framing on the first floor.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said in a statement for the public to "please avoid the SouthPark area and seek alternate routes." Smoke quickly clouded the area, creating respiratory issues for some as multiple agencies went to the scene to contain the massive fire. Johnson said there were a number of nearby rooftop fires due to the embers and the size and volume of the construction site fire. Drivers should avoid the SouthPark area and seek alternate routes.