Riverdale apartment building 'a total loss' following fire

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Six families are without a home Sunday night following a fire at a Riverdale apartment building.

Channel 2 Action News has learned the building is a total loss. The fire started at around 8 p.m. Sunday at the Villages on the River apartment complex.

Channel 2's Nefertiti Jaquez spoke to a pair of victims, a couple, who said in a matter of minutes they lost their home when the building went up in flames.

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"When I looked out the window I saw fire, flames," said Shamika Statham, who was in her living room when they heard what they describe as a large "boom."

Statham said when they looked out of their window, the pair realized their building was engulfed in flames.  

"I was really shaking by, when I looked out I saw the front unit it was completely burned down," said Rickey Tobler.

While dozens of firefighters worked feverishly to put out the blaze, in the end, the flames consumed the building that was made up of 10 units.

"Now, this it's a major setback for us," Tobler said.

A major setback because everything this couple has worked hard to achieve over the years is now gone. In all, we're told nine families have been displaced.

Of the 10 units that make up the building, fire investigators said one of those apartments was vacant.

Investigators are zeroing in on that unit because they believe the fire may have started there.

An exact cause still has not been determined.

Cox Media Group