VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WVEC) -- Investigators determined on Wednesday that the fire at Legends at the Beach apartments was accidental. The two-alarm fire that displaced 23 people was caused by discarded cigarette butts on a first floor balcony.
While going through the charred units, a happy surprise -- a frightened cat found alive on the second floor. It was turned over to Animal Control.
Firefighters were on the scene on Hunters Chase Drive for several hours Tuesday, working to keep the fire from spreading to other buildings.
Angelo Byrd, who was part of a landscaping crew working at the apartments at the time, described the scene.
"I seen the burst of flames come out of one of these vent holes. I don't know what they're called. They're in the attic. As the flame, you know, just started to roll over the top of the roof, and then just started catching everywhere," Byrd recalled.
Battalion Chief Amy Valdez said the building was engulfed in flames when crews got to the complex just after 5 p.m. Several ladder trucks batted the fire from an elevated point, which knocked down most of the fire.
Crews then began checking the units to make sure no one was inside.
"I heard lots of people screaming and I saw people crying," said Antonio Asencio. "I heard a couple of explosions coming out. The smoke actually looked like a really big twister."
No one was hurt. Many tenants, including Darrell Bias and his wife, were at work at the time.
"She was pretty hysterical on the phone. 'The building's on fire! Everything's gone!' I said, 'Hey, we've got renter's insurance. You're safe. I'm safe.' I said, 'That's the only thing that matters right now,'" shared Bias.
Firefighters Wednesday also will help tenants salvage what they can from their apartments.
Valdez said people who were in the building reported the fire as did people across the street.
Battalion Chief Tracy Freeman said the management of the apartment complex moved most of the tenants from the 16 fire-damaged units into vacant apartments.
The American Red Cross is helping three people.
"We are providing the families with a safe place to stay and assisting them with their immediate needs," said Red Cross Executive Director Lorri Powers. "We will continue to work with the families over the coming days to guide them as they continue the recovery process."
The residents and crews also got food provided by a local Chick-fil-A restaurant.
