ATLANTA — Atlanta city officials released the cause of the massive fire that destroyed much of a high-end apartment complex on Howell Mill Road and displaced hundreds of residents.
It was revealed on Friday that an unsanctioned rooftop party that included more than 100 people led to the ignition of an enormous blaze that engulfed a large chunk of the Bell Collier Village apartment complex building and left every resident searching for a new place to stay last Saturday.
City officials and Atlanta Fire and Rescue said the blaze started on the rooftop and spread rapidly until much of the building was taken over by the fire. The fire was suspected to have been started by a propane grill filled with charcoal, which is a violation of the building safety protocols, Atlanta city officials said.
They also stated that the property owners' "inadequate fire controls significantly contributed to the fire's intensity."
“The failure to maintain essential fire safety measures and the presence of an unsanctioned party with hazardous equipment underscores the need for property owners to ensure compliance with safety standards,” Fire Chief Roderick M. Smith said. “This disregard for fire regulations not only endangers lives but complicates our emergency response efforts.”
Firefighters were trying to put out the fire for more than two hours, as 80 members of the fire department from 32 separate fire units. There were over 250,000 gallons of water to put out the flames, which city officials said was fueled by a "combustible rooftop deck and unprotected roof membrane."
The apartment complex's management had previously said that all 256 units at Bell Collier Village were likely damaged by fire and/or water.
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." They also said that it could "possibly take several weeks" before conditions on the property are safe for residents to reenter, an email stated.
11Alive spoke with residents of the complex on Thursday after the property management gave out $250 checks to each resident.
Residents were frustrated over the gesture, saying it was not enough for what they had endured as they demanded answers for their living situation that had been stripped away from them.