Residents of the Willowcreek Apartment Complex in Copperas Cove faced a devastating reality after a massive fire broke out early this morning.
Kedrin Carrington, a resident of Building Seven (Building Eight residents have been displaced), had just returned home from an overnight shift and was greeted by a scene of chaos and destruction.
"I knew when I pulled up everything was on fire. Grass, back of the building, everything was on fire," Carrington said.
The fire caused significant confusion among residents and unclear official communication, and Carrington and others were frustrated.
"I couldn’t believe it, and there were just, like, no answers," Carrington said.
" I just wanted to know the initial call to the police, but the police couldn’t tell me that. At first, it was the building in front of mine; I mean, it was my building, which is building 7, then it was building 8, then somebody said it was building 9. So, we’ve just been out here for hours."
The uncertainty extended to the safety of the residents, with concerns about building eight and its occupants and if they safely evacuated.
Copperas Cove Fire Chief Gary Young called on the Fort Cavazos Fire Department for additional manpower to tackle the blaze.
"At this particular point in time, we have close to 20 firefighters out here from all agencies," Young said. "24 apartments have been impacted, and all residents have been displaced. Red Cross is on scene and is getting preliminary information to try and assist those residents."
The Red Cross began bussing affected residents around 11:30 AM to the nearby Grace United Methodist Church.
In response to the disaster, the community has rallied support for those affected, with multiple donation sites being set up around the city.
Texas HomePro, located at 401 W Bus 190, Copperas Cove, TX, is organizing several donation sites to assist displaced residents.
For a list of donation locations, click here.
The Baptist Benevolency Ministry at First Baptist Church in Cove, located at 305 N 3rd Street, Copperas Cove, TX, also provides support.
