GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – A driver was arrested and charged in starting an apartment complex fire Sunday morning.
According to the Greenville Police Department, a resident of The Landing, John Kevin Ruscik struck an HVAC unit that started a fire.
Greenville Fire crews were called to the complex around 4:30 a.m. They saw fire coming through the roof of at least one of the buildings.
One resident says the fire spread up the side of a building, causing a portion of the roof to collapse.
Fire crews say the fire took about 45 minutes to be put out. It affected six units – three with fire damage and all six with water damage.
Jessica Blackwell, a spokesperson for Greenville Fire, said 21 residents have to find another place to stay. Property management is working with them to find temporary housing.
Blackwell said no one was hurt. She credits the working fire alarms and sprinkler systems in the building for waking residents up and helping slow the fire. She said more people would likely have been hurt, had it not been for those features.