ATLANTA — A massive fire that started in the rooftop kitchen at Bell Collier Village over the weekend has damaged all of the community's 256 apartments, according to the complex.
A letter to the residents of the complex, located on Howell Mill Road, stated that access to the building "cannot be granted until it has been confirmed that it is safe to do so."
In the Sunday night update, Bell Partners informed its residents that all of the units were affected by water or fire damage.
It could "possibly take several weeks" before conditions on the property are safe for residents to reenter, an email stated.
Atlanta Fire and Rescue Third Battalion Chief Jeff Cutrer said that some of the water damage happened when a pipe in an adjacent building burst at some point during the night.
"That water flooded into one of the units and collapsed into another unit," Cutrer stated.
He said that created a structural collapse in a different building that wasn't part of the fire itself. Residents on the South side had initially hoped the damage would be contained to the North side, where the fire had started.
"They're going to have engineers come, and their property management will make sure that everything is safe for the residents to get back into," he said. "It's a little too early to tell exactly what caused the collapses."
Bell Collier Village said no injuries were reported, and all of the apartments were safely evacuated. However, the city shut off power and water to the building so the fire department could safely conduct a thorough investigation.
"We are working closely with the city and structural engineers to determine the safety of entering apartment homes," it said in a note to residents. "We have set up designated 24-hour security outside of the building, and we are working with the Atlanta Police Department to ensure that the building is not accessible until further notice. Our paramount duty is the safety and security of the entire community."