Friday evening, May 14, 2021 around 7 PM Bulloch 911 dispatched Statesboro Fire Department to a fourth floor apartment fire at 111 South apartment complex located at 111 Rucker Lane. The first arriving fire engine on the scene reported heavy smoke coming from the apartment.
They requested additional assistance including units from the Bulloch County Fire Department. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to one apartment, however eight apartments received some water and smoke damage.
Firefighters on the scene believe the fire started in the kitchen area of the four bedroom apartment. Two of the four residents were home when the fire started. They called 911 and activated the fire alarm for the entire building. Everyone was able to escape the fire without injury.
All of building three was evacuated and Georgia Power turned the power off for the entire building until the fire was under control.
The eight apartments with fire, water and smoke damage will not have power restored until inspections can be completed of each apartment. Because of this, 26 residents are impacted and have been temporarily displaced for at least one night.
Larry Jones and Debra Nessmith, Bulloch County Disaster Action Team (DAT) members with the American Red Cross, Bill Taylor and members of Statesboro Fire CAFE team along with Bulloch VOAD volunteers responded to the scene.
A majority of the residents in this apartment complex are college students. Now that the semester has ended and graduation has been completed and are not in town.
All of the residents who were in town have been taken care of tonight. For the residents who did not have a place to go, the 111 South property management team was able to put some in a vacant apartment on the property. The reminder is being assisted by the American Red Cross in a local hotel.
Statesboro Police Department responded to assist with traffic and crowd control at the scene. Bulloch EMS also responded as a precaution.
