Person hospitalized in BG apartment fire, 18 units affected
By WTVG Staff
Published: Jun. 12, 2024 at 6:03 PM EDT|Updated: Jun. 13, 2024 at 11:17 AM EDT
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (WTVG) - Crews from multiple agencies battled a large apartment fire in Bowling Green Wednesday night that sent one person to the hospital.
At least three fire departments were working on the fire that broke out at the Village Court North Apartments in the 300 block of Parkview Drive on June 12. Police called it a “significant” fire and asked the public to avoid the area near N. Main Street.
Authorities confirmed one person was taken to an area hospital for treatment but the extent of their injuries is unknown, though it appears they were not seriously injured. Officials at the scene tell 13 Action News that 18 units were affected. Residents who have been displaced were put up in area hotels.
Neighbors told 13 Action News it was a chaotic scene.
“Yesterday I was coming back out of my bedroom and I look out one of the windows and I see a lot of smoke coming from right here,” said Jasmine Thompson, who lives in the trailer park next to the apartment complex.
“It was really, really crazy. A bunch of firetrucks, a lot of people,” said Robert Peralez, who also lives next to the apartment complex and has a sister who has been displaced due to the fire.
Residents and their families now have to figure out what’s next.
“He got out with just the clothes on his back. He didn’t even have his cell phone, he called me from someone else’s phone. And that he really didn’t know what was gonna happen,” said Kay Hebert-Rodriguez, whose brother lives in the apartment complex and is now displaced.
The emotion is still fresh in their mind.
“For him, confusion and probably a little bit of shock. For me, relief that he was okay,” said Hebert-Rodriguez.
The Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board said the building is a Harbor semi-independent housing facility. In a statement, it said the board is “fully dedicated to ensuring the mental and physical safety and well-being of all individuals impacted by this event, including both residents and staff of Harbor.” It went on to say that it will work with local and state entities to ensure no resident is left unhoused or without necessary services.
Harbor released a statement Thursday that said donations are being accepted for the affected residents at the organization’s Connection Center located at 309 S. Main Street in Bowling Green on Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Harbor said the following items are needed:
- Toiletries
- Shoes
- Reading glasses
- Non-perishable foods
- Protein based snacks
- Water
- Regular and Sugar-free Gatorade
- Aspirin/Tylenol/band-aids/Rolaids/basic first aid/Neosporin
- Walmart gift cards
“It is our top priority to ensure the mental and physical safety of residents. We are grateful that the individuals are safe and would like to thank Harbor team members for their immediate action and help, Bowling Green Fire, Police, and First Responders for their outstanding work, Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board for their services and support, and the community for their compassion to those impacted” said Harbor’s President & CEO Dustin Watkins in a statement Thursday.
Many of the residents lost everything they owned in the fire.
“All of her memories, all of our pictures when we were little, all of the things we made her when we were in school,” said Sarah Ybanez, whose mother lived at the apartments.
Ybanez said she was just thankful her mother made it out safely.
“To the left of her, the landing fell as soon as she got out,” said Ybanez.
The building sustained severe damage that’s going to take a while to fix. Investigators are still working to figure out what may have sparked the fire.
The Bowling Green Christian Food Pantry said it would be helping the people who lived in the apartments as well. According to a spokesperson for the food pantry, they are available for food emergencies from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Mondays and from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays and Fridays. If you have any questions, call them at 419-308-6400.
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