Fire at Ridgecrest Apartments | News

HICKORY N.C. – A fire started Thursday afternoon at Ridgecrest Apartments, drawing residents out of their apartments to watch as firefighters went to work.

Firefighters were called to the apartments on 12th Avenue SE around 3 p.m.

Julie Cruz-Mendoza said she was walking her son home from the bus stop when she heard a fire alarm and saw smoke coming out of the second floor windows of Apt. 79. She said she hurried to call 911 and the housing authority.

The apartment’s resident, Jamal Wilson, 34, said he was not in the apartment when the fire started.

He said a neighbor told him his apartment was on fire and he ran inside and upstairs. He said when he opened a bedroom door on the second floor, smoke poured out, and he was forced to go back outside.

No one was injured in the fire.

“I’m just shocked,” Wilson said. “I don’t like all this excitement.”

Capt. Chad Fisher with the Hickory Fire Department said bedding was damaged in the second floor bedroom and there was minor smoke damage.

Investigators determined carelessly discarded smoking materials started the fire, said Terri Byers, fire education coordinator for the Hickory Fire Department.