The four families left homeless after a fire ripped through their apartment complex just over a week ago have all found permanent shelter.

According to Samantha Zundel, owner of the Everette Street Apartment Complex where the families lived, all four families will have a warm home to spend with their families over the Thanksgiving holiday.

“Hopefully by Thanksgiving, everyone will be settled in ready to spend the holidays focusing on something other than the fire,” she said Monday.

One of the buildings in the Everette Street Apartment Complex containing four housing units was destroyed by fire just before 2 p.m. on Nov. 7. According to Atmore Fire Chief Gerry McGhee, it was the largest fire his firefighters have been challenged with in some time.

“It was the biggest fire we have had lately,” McGhee said last week. “One reason is because the apartments were built several years back and there was no firewall to divide the apartments. To bring it up to code, there would have to be a firewall installed between all of the units.”

Joan Hackman, director of the West Escambia American Red Cross, said 14 people in all, mostly single men, were living in the apartments. Each family was provided immediate shelter following the fire if needed by the Red Cross until permanent housing was found.

The Atmore community was also challenged to aid the families in donating clothing and other essentials to begin rebuilding their lives. Zundel said the response was an overwhelming blessing.
“We received a tremendous amount of clothing and needed items,” she said. “We were able to set up three families in very short order with kitchen supplies, table and chairs, couches, beds, bedding, toiletries and such.  The fourth family, we were able to give them about 12 bags of clothing, shoes, winter coats, sweaters, kitchen supplies and toiletries.”
Although an exact cause of the fire has not been determined, McGhee believes the fire “possibly” started on the stove in one of the four units.