NORWICH, Conn. (AP) -- A fast-moving fire destroyed most of a large apartment complex in eastern Connecticut early Saturday, but all of the estimated 150 residents appeared to have made it out of the inferno unhurt, officials said.
``It is a miracle,'' Norwich Mayor Benjamin Lathrop said. ``Just the way the fire spread is mind-boggling.''
All but one resident of the Peachtree Garden Apartments was accounted for Saturday night, said Norwich Fire Battalion Chief Tracy Montoya. The remaining person's name was not released, but police told WTNH-TV that officials believed that resident had moved out before the fire.
Montoya and other officials said it was remarkable that no one appeared to have died in the blaze. The cause remained under investigation by local, state and federal authorities.
The fire was reported about 1:30 a.m. at the 120-unit complex, which included 12 buildings that were connected by a common roof. Officials said all but about eight apartments were destroyed.
Two buildings were fully engulfed by flames by the time firefighters arrived and tenants were calling for help, Fire Chief Ken Scandariato said.
Authorities said firefighters and police officers rushed door to door alerting people and helping them get out.
``It was just a tremendous team effort,'' said City Manager Alan Bergren. ``I'm very proud of our response.''
Fire alarms were working but the complex didn't have a sprinkler system because that wasn't required when it was built in 1976. The entire structure was engulfed in flames within minutes.
``It got ahead of us,'' Scandariato said. ``It was just too much fire to mount an attack to stop it.''
Officials didn't know yet if the fire started inside or outside the complex, but they believe flames quickly spread through a false pitched roof that covered the original flat roof.
The pitched roof didn't include any fire stops that would help contain flames, Scandariato said. Officials are investigating to see if the design was in violation of city building codes.
The fire chief said the wreckage was still too hot to allow the use of arson dogs, and officials expected to be at the scene until at least Sunday afternoon.
All that remained in some parts of the complex were three-story brick walls, standing next to piles of black, smokey rubble. Parts of the rubble were still smoldering Saturday night.
Residents, former tenants and neighbors stood in amazement, staring at the destruction Saturday. Many remarked that the scene resembled a bombing.
Mohammad Sundal, 43, was spending his first night in his one-bedroom apartment when he awoke to the smell of smoke. His living room was already on fire, he said.
``It was so intense, the fire,'' Sundal said. ``If I stayed for two more minutes, trust me, it was going to burn me.''
Tenant Beverly Creed and her son, Travis, 17, were awakened by a downstairs neighbor. The complex's courtyard was already on fire as they ran to safety.
``It was scary,'' she said. ``I just grabbed my purse and pair of sandals to put on.''
Another tenant, Carol Rice, said she heard an explosion. ``Then I opened my glass sliding door and the flames were just flying everywhere,'' she said. She escaped wearing a bathrobe and slippers.
``Oh, my God. I'm a total wreck,'' she said, sobbing. ``My pills, all my medications are burnt.''
The location of dozens of residents was uncertain for much of Saturday. Officials worked with apartment management, interviewed tenants and checked registrations of parked cars in an effort to find those who were unaccounted for.
Lathrop said it was a major undertaking determining who was at the apartment complex at the time of the fire and where they were.
The American Red Cross set up a shelter at the nearby Uncas Elementary School and said it was helping 114 residents of the complex. Red Cross officials expected to meet with more residents on Sunday
Sue Rochester-Bolen of the local Red Cross chapter said her agency opened cases for 77 families, including 111 adults and three children, and handed out about $22,000 in aid.
``This is by far and away the most devastating disaster we've had in southeastern Connecticut,'' Rochester-Bolen said.
``These people have nothing left. They truly have nothing.''
City of Norwich social workers and staff from the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services were also at the scene.
Norwich is about 40 miles east of Hartford.
Copyright MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
