ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Two dozen residents of an Alpharetta apartment complex spent hours Friday loading up their belongings after lighting struck their building, sparking a fire.
“Oh, it was bad,” said Samantha Marvell, who lives at the Woodhaven at Park Bridge off Old Milton Parkway.
She was working on her computer in Building 1000 when the sky darkened and thunder rumbled Tuesday afternoon. Then came a mighty crash.
“Just complete loud thunder and instant flash and then it was just raining,” she said. “I don’t like thunder, so hearing that loud crash, it made me very nervous. You could feel it, so I was shaking a bit.”
Lightning had struck the roof of the apartment just above hers. A fire broke out, causing serious damage in the building’s attic, but Alpharetta firefighters managed to keep the flames from spreading.
Everybody in the 28 apartments got out safely, with no injuries.
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“It was huge, huge smoke,” Marvell said.
Ian Cassuto, a fire spokesperson for the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety, said two apartments had moderate fire damage. All the others sustained smoke and water damage.
Neighbors told Channel 2 Action News reporter Bryan Mims that repair work on the building is set to begin Monday, and everyone had to get their belongings out by this weekend. On Friday, a fence encircled the building and property restoration workers were on site.
The property manager of Woodhaven at Park Bridge told Mims he couldn’t comment about the management’s response to the fire or discuss repairs. Residents said the management placed many of them in other units in the complex.
Samantha’s father, Trevor Marvell, lives with her in the apartment and described the lightning strike as “just a big bang.” He said could salvage most of his belongings, but his furniture is likely ruined from the water damage.
Mark Kersul just returned home Tuesday when he saw the billowing smoke and fire trucks. He and a friend, Richard Rotondo, worked together Friday to load up his possessions, which he’ll put in a garage on the property. He said he spoke with the woman who lives in the apartment where the lightning struck. “The lady said she felt it in her heart, her chest, when it hit,” he told Mims.
Residents said the apartment management and the American Red Cross have been very responsive in wake of the fire.
Samantha Marvell said her nerves were rattled and apartment was damaged, but she’s grateful nobody was hurt.
“I mean, we just get everything done and keep on going,” she said.
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