NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Some families who live in the Shorter College Gardens Apartments in North Little Rock were left shocked and some of them were even displaced after an early morning fire happened on Tuesday.
Authorities confirmed that three people, unfortunately, died in the fire and the clean-up effort has already begun.
The morning was chaotic as fire crews worked to battle a fire that did extensive damage to the center part of the apartment building.
"It was an explosion [and] I looked out the window and, as I said, it was a burning microwave in the grass [and] that prompted me to get up and go look out of the window," Raven Dorrough, a resident of the building, explained.
She was inside the building when the fire first began at 2:22 a.m.
"Everybody was sleep, so I [was] just waking everybody up, making sure everybody got out safely," Dorrough described.
The damage to the building was very extensive and noticeable.
Fire Captain, Dustin Free, explained that an upper, charred portion of the structure collapsed onto the floor below.
"The fire crews arrived on the scene and discovered that the conditions of the fire were unsurvivable," Chief Free said.
He believes the fire actually started on the first floor.
Gabrielle Madison explained that she was visiting her sister who lived in the building.
"I was sleeping when she woke me up," Madison said." Next thing you know, I look over and I look and I'm seeing the whole building on fire."
While she ensured that her family was safe, Madison said she also made sure everyone in the building made it out safely.
"The first thing I did was tell my kids that get the neighbors because there [are] other kids in there and he actually knocked on every door," Madison recalled.
Dorrough explained that she isn't sure what exactly will be next for her family.
Luckily, on Tuesday afternoon, she was able to get inside the building and collect important documents and small items from her apartment.
She expressed that the thought of having lost three members of their tight-knit community has been heartbreaking.
"Prayers to the family. I don't wish this on anybody and I'm just glad we made it out safely as well as everybody else," Dorrough added.
Fire leaders have been actively working to identify the cause of the fire, and the American Red Cross has been in the area to provide meals and support.
The North Little Rock School District has also provided counseling and other resources for those who were impacted.
Any student that attends the school and needs those resources can contact the school at (501) 340-5170.