Dozens displaced after apartment fire in Clayton County, officials say
Dozens of people are searching for a place to stay after a fire tore through an apartment complex in Clayton County early Friday morning, leaving multiple families without homes.
The fire broke out before 8 a.m. at the Premier Garden Apartments, where crews worked for hours to contain the flames and extinguish hot spots.
By the time the smoke cleared, much of the building was destroyed.
Leasing office management says at least 18 units were lost, displacing dozens of residents.
For resident Roshonda Level, the morning began with confusion — and quickly turned into a race to get out.
"I didn't hear anything. I didn't smell anything. I just got a knock on my door," Level said.
After multiple knocks, she says a call from her sister made the danger clear.
"Then my sister called me and said get out the apartment, it's on fire," she said.
Level says she made it out just in time.
Hours later, residents returned to find devastation.
Level pointed to where her apartment once stood.
"This was actually my son's room right here," she said. "Just his sink… and I see my washing machine and dryer. Nothing else. Everything else is just gone."
Another resident, Breyonna Reese, was not home when the fire started. She says a phone call alerted her that everything she owned had been destroyed.
"This is my apartment in the middle. There is nothing left," Reese said.
She says she had just recently purchased new items for her home.
"My wigs… I love my wigs and those were my prime possession… but I know those can be replaced," she said.
Despite the losses, both residents say they are focused on what matters most — surviving.
"I'm just grateful that I still have my life. This is material things that can be replaced," Level said.
Apartment management says displaced residents are being offered relocation options to vacant units within the complex.
Investigation ongoing
Officials have not yet determined what caused the fire. The investigation remains ongoing.
