BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — Multiple fire departments responded to an apartment fire that hospitalized one person and affected residents of 18 units in Bowling Green on Wednesday.
"When I came over here and I looked back at my apartment, I saw the porch drop and flames everywhere," said Josie Clark, who has lived at the Village Court North apartments in northern Bowling Green for a decade. "I was sleeping, I went to lay down to take a nap. I just heard a big commotion out front."
Clark watched firefighters work to contain the fire for hours, thinking about all she had lost.
"I was crying because all of my pictures are in there of all my grandkids, I lost everything," Clark said. "I don't know how I'm going to get them back, but I believe God is going to make a way."
Family and friends of those living at the apartments came as soon as they heard what happened, including Carol Beckley, who is friends with two residents.
Beckley didn't just hear about the fire, either, she saw it.
"I was across the street doing my laundry and walked out to my car and saw the flames. I could tell by the direction it was my friend's apartment or the one next to it, so I came straight over," she said. "When I got here, the flames were to the sky."
Even strangers offered a helping hand.
"Our pastor came just to check on everybody," Beckley said. "Bowling Green is such a close-knit community."
Clark said the same, as people offered food and drinks to make weathering the displacement easier.
"Oh, my goodness, it's so nice. Our community loves to give," Clark said
Various area organizations were at the scene making sure people had a place to stay among other kinds of assistance.
The injured person's condition and the cause of the fire are unknown at this time.
Harbor, who owns the independent living facility on Parkview Drive, released the following statement:
It is our top priority to ensure the mental and physical safety of residents. We are grateful that the individuals are safe and would like to thank Harbor team members for their immediate action and help, Bowling Green Fire, Police, and First Responders for their outstanding work, Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board for their services and support, and the community for their compassion to those impacted.
Harbor said donations are being accepted at its "Connection Center" located at 309 South Main Street in Bowling Green.
Donations will be accepted on Thursday and Friday (June 13-14) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Saturday (June 15) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Harbor said the following items are needed:
- Toiletries
- Shoes
- Reading glasses
- Non-perishable foods
- Protein based snacks
- Water
- Regular and sugar-free Gatorade
- Aspirin/Tylenol/Bandaids/Rolaids/basic first aid/Neosporin
- Walmart gift cards