NORFOLK, Va. — A Hampton Roads community is pulling together to support victims of an apartment fire in Norfolk.
The Norfolk Fire Department rescued six people early Monday morning after the fire took over an apartment building in the 900 block of Greenway Court, which is located just two blocks away from Sentara Norfolk General Hospital West Ghent.
The Norfolk Fire Marshal's Office is still looking into the cause of the fire, but said it doesn't seem suspicious in nature, and has no ties to any previous Ghent fires.
By Tuesday, the West Ghent Civic League raised more than $12,000 for victims. The donation drive will run through November 8, and the league says it will divide the money among the residents.
According to the Norfolk Fire Department, four people were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, believed to be from smoke inhalation, and 14 out of 15 units were being occupied at the time of the incident.
The fire caused parts of the building to collapse. The roof also caved in.
St. Andrews's Episcopal Church in Norfolk donated $2,000 to the West Ghent Civic League donation drive. The church also said they were offering help to the displaced residents.
The Red Cross is also assisting.
The calls for help reached beyond Norfolk.
They tugged at the heart of Katie Morgan and her team in Chesapeake.
"It was in our heart to say, 'Okay, let's make a difference," said Morgan, whose children live near where the fire happened.
"It's all about looking out for our brothers and sisters," said Morgan. "It's about giving to one another and being there for one another."
Morgan runs an organization called The Great Exchange, where people swap and shop gently used clothes for all ages at no cost.
"We'd like to be part of the solution," she said. "If you have clothing and want to help them out, bring it here. You can house it here, and people can come here and get those items."
Morgan said anyone who needs clothes can stop by and get whatever they need.
The Great Exchange is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursday and the first Saturday of the month. It is located behind The Bridge Christian Fellowship on 1116 Hillwell Road in Chesapeake. Morgan and her husband, Steve, co-lead the ministry.
Here's what the Office of the Norfolk Fire-Rescue Fire Marshal had to say about its investigation on Wednesday afternoon:
"Due to the significant amount of damage to the building and contents, a thorough and safe investigation will require additional time to report the true cause of this fire. However, at this time, and after our initial investigative work, there are no evidentiary findings that suggests that this was an intentionally set fire."