ST. CHARLES, Mo. – A devastating apartment fire left several St. Charles residents without a home, forcing them to face a cold, rainy reality with little more than the clothes they escaped in.
Flames tore through a five-unit apartment in St Charles Friday night, lighting up the sky just after 8 pm.
The fire started in the second unit of the complex in the 1600 block of Meyer Drive at a corner building. The glowing orange could be seen as far as JJ’s Restaurant and Gingham’s as fire crews rushed to the scene.
Kelly Hunsel is the Captain and PIO for St. Charles City Fire Department and told FOX 2, “While in route [firefighters] had confirmed sightings of people trapped. That came in from our Police department. They were able to observe one of our residents in a window in one of the upstairs bedrooms.”
Firefighters rescued an unconscious mother and daughter in their 40s and 60s, both were transported to Mercy Hospital and are in serious condition.
The burnt building is condemned and residents are left to sort through what’s next. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
“We really want to urge all of our residents that things like working smoke detectors having that early notification can make a big difference truly when seconds count.” Hunsel added.
If you are in need of fire detection devices, St. Charles City Fire Department offers free smoke alarms and battery replacement through its Smoke Detectors & Battery Replacement Program.