More than 45 seniors were homeless after an apartment complex caught fire.
Flames broke out at the Madonna House at Belmont senior apartments at 2600 Cowan Boulevard in Fredericksburg at about 10 p.m. Monday, May 16.
The blaze caused significant damage to one wing of the building, city fire officials tell PLN. The fire was confined to an attic, but the fire also caused smoke and water damage to the apartments on the 4th floor of that wing.
Apartments on floors 1-3 have significant water damage, as well. The left half of the building has no damage, and those occupants were allowed to go back inside at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 17, fire officials tell PLN.
About 35 displaced residents are staying in area hotels. The nearby FRED Central bus station was used as a shelter for the evacuees until 6 a.m. today, when the last of the victims were taken to hotels.
The American Red Cross is assisting some of the victims. Fire crews from Stafford and Spotsylvania counties were called to help city firefighters douse the blaze.
Madonna House is a retirement community designed for seniors ages 55 or older. The construction of this property was completed in September 1998, and the building was renovated in 2017.
