Fire Destroys Apartment Building

CENTERTON -- Derrick Lake watched as firefighters battled the fire that destroyed all of his belongings.

"We lost everything," said a shocked looking Lake. "My fiancee is pregnant with our baby and we lost everything. It's terrible."

Dozens of people watched Saturday as firefighters battled the blaze that destroyed one of the buildings at Pomeroy Place Apartments, 113 Sadie Lane.

The building -- No. 500 -- was destroyed with the roof gone. The siding on nearby building began to melt from the heat of the fire.

Lake estimated 20 adults and about 10 children lived in the apartment.

"We lost everything," Lake said again. "I have no idea what to do."

Jason Giauque, who lived in an upstairs apartment, said he was fixing on his car when he saw smoke coming from the building. Giauque ran inside the building to get his dog. He then began screaming and knocking on doors to warn his neighbors.

Giauque said he knew at the time the fire would destroy all his and his girlfriend's belongings.

"What can you do?" he said. "It's not like you have water to do anything."

Paul Beard lives in an apartment across from the burned building. He was standing at his window when he heard an explosion.

"I ran outside and a gentleman (Giauque) was yelling for people to get out," Beard said. "If it wasn't for him there probably would have been some injuries. I guess you can say he's an unsung hero."

Beard said an oxygen tank had been involved in the fire.

Giauque wasn't the only one to run into the burning building to warn residents.

Shane Fransz, a delivery driver for Domino's Pizza, was making a delivery to another unit. He saw smoke coming from the building.

Fransz said he ran in the building and started banging on doors. "I was trying to kick the door in on one unit when an officer told me to stop," he said.

Fransz said he was relieved there were no injuries in the fire.

Giauque said he and his girlfriend lost everything in the fire.

"All of our (stuff) is gone," Giauque said. "There's not anything you can do. You might as well not weep about it."

Giauque girlfriend, Megan Riggins, said she was at work when Giauque called her about the fire. "I never in a million years thought anything like this would happen," she said.

Laura Goforth, apartment manager, said she was told there were no injuries in the fire.

There are 12 units in the buildings and she said it was a total loss, Goforth said.

Centerton Fire Chief Delton Bush said the cause of the fire is accidental, but he declined to disclose the cause.

Bush said the fire started in a lower corner apartment. The fire was on the first, second and in the attic when firefighters arrived, Bush said.

Firefighters spoke to a resident in the lower corner apartment, but Bush said he couldn't comment on that conversation and had to keep the cause under wraps for now.

Bush said no residents in the building or firefighters were injured from the fire.

Robert McGowen, director of Benton County's emergency management agency, was on the scene of the fire.

McGowen said the Red Cross set up at New Life Christian Center to help displaced residents. McGowen said a shelter could be set up if there is a need for one.

David Amezcua said they were having a program at New Life and church members brought bottled water to firefighters and residents.

"We just wanted to help anyway we can," Amezcua said.

Centerton Mayor Bill Edwards opened City Hall so people could drop off clothing for residents who lost belongings in the fire. City Hall will be open from 8 a.m to 8 p.m. today for drop offs.

Lacy Brooks, who lives in another unit, she was relieved people got out of the building, but she was sad some people lost all their belongings in the fire.

"This is just devastating," Brooks said.

Firefighters from Bentonville, Highfill, Gravette, Decatur, Cave Springs, Rogers, and Gentry helped with the fire, Bush said.