CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — A candle that possibly was knocked over ignited a two-alarm fire at a Hickory senior living facility Monday afternoon that displaced three dozen residents, city officials said Tuesday.
Firefighters responded to the fire at about 3:40 p.m. at the Hickory Gardens Apartments on 3rd Avenue Northwest.
The fire broke out at the multi-story senior apartment complex, prompting firefighters to use ladders to rescue residents from the building.
The tenant who had the candle in their apartment tried to use a fire extinguisher to put the flames out but it was too much.
James Fox, who also lives there, said he tried to alert his neighbors after seeing smoke.
“Black smoke hovering,” Fox said. “So, I got on my knees and my neighbor come out, and she was on the ground with the fire extinguisher, and she was like, ‘Help.’ And I said, “Oh God, get out here. The smoke.’”
The fire destroyed two apartments but there was smoke damage to the east side of the building.
Officials with the city of Hickory said one person who inhaled too much smoke was transported to a hospital and no other injuries were reported.
0 of 5
On Tuesday, resident Sandra Akbay showed Channel 9′s Dave Faherty what she was able to salvage.
“I don’t know where I’m going to be placed at,” she said. “I lost everything. I don’t know. I don’t know what’s going to take place. All I know right now is the shelter.”
The management company said it could take months to repair.
Disaster teams with the American Red Cross responded and the agency opened an emergency shelter at Christ Lutheran Church.
Eleven residents, including Fox, is staying there.
“It’s a good feeling to be here but it’s definitively hard to see them going through this,” said Alexis May, with the American Red Cross. “We’re just grateful to be on sight and support them in what they need.”
VIDEO: New Lincoln-Catawba County border to take effect this week
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
