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Friday, November 13, 2009

Morning fire in Roanoke displaces 13 people

Fire forced 13 people from their apartments in Southwest Roanoke this morning, officials said. No one was injured.

Firefighters were called to a house in the 1200 block of Wasena Terrace just before 5 a.m., said Roanoke Fire-EMS spokeswoman Tiffany Bradbury. The house was split into five apartments.

Crews found the fire in one of the upstairs units and put it out. There were no smoke detectors in the apartments, Bradbury said.

The Roanoke Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross was called to help the residents, which includes four children, said spokeswoman Amy Whittaker.

The Red Cross has spent nearly $3,000 to pay for motel rooms and provide vouchers for food, clothing, and items for the children, Whittaker said.

"That’s a lot of money for us, and we’re just now starting the winter months," she said.

"It really taps our budget, and we’re like every other non-profit. We have struggles as well."

Whittaker said the Red Cross is seeking monetary donations so it can continue to help people in disasters.

Anyone interested in donating can visit www.roanokevalleyredcross.org or call 985-3535.

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