No one injured when apartments burn

Published 6:05 pm Saturday, November 5, 2016

Smoke was still rising Saturday morning from the charred, smoldering ruins of an apartment building that caught fire and burned Friday night at the condemned Whispering Woods Apartments complex, 780 U.S. 61 North.

No one was injured in the blaze.

The burned building is one of a group of apartment buildings on the south side of the complex located in the county. The cause of the fire, which was the second to a building in the complex this year, is under investigation. City and Culkin firefighters were called to the blaze, which was reported about 10:12 p.m. Friday.

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Chuck Tate, a member of the Culkin Volunteer Fire Department, said the building was vacant and there was no electricity to the house. Vicksburg Fire Chief Charles Atkins said three Vicksburg fire trucks, the department’s service truck and ambulance responded to the scene. Five Culkin trucks were used to fight the fire, Tate said.

“When they (firefighters) arrived on the scene, it was fully involved,” said. “Initially, the call came in as several buildings on fire and several others threatened. When we arrived, it was one building and two threatened, the city called us for assistance.”

The city had turned off water service to the complex for non-payment of its water bill, forcing firefighters to connect their lines to a fire hydrant on U.S. 61 North at the entrance to the apartment complex.

About John Surratt

John Surratt is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a degree in general studies. He has worked as an editor, reporter and photographer for newspapers in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post staff since 2011 and covers city government. He and his wife attend St. Paul Catholic Church and he is a member of the Port City Kiwanis Club.

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