ATHENS, Ohio — Tenants have returned to the Beasley Mill Apartments on Union Street following a February fire that displaced 30 people from their homes.
Athens Fire Department Chief Bob Rymer told the Independent the department performed a walkthrough on March 14 to ensure the building was safe for residents.
“We were more concerned with the egress paths, and we did spot inspection on some other units,” Rymer said.
Rymer said in a letter after the walkthrough that he supported residents returning to the building. The housing company, Fairfield Homes out of Lancaster, then began returning residents to their apartments amid ongoing repairs.
Kenne MacKillop, 60, in whose apartment the fire originated, said he returned to the apartment building on March 19, though not to the unit in which he was originally living. MacKillop said that, as far he knows, everyone displaced by the fire returned to the building by the end of March.
Fairfield Homes did not return multiple requests for comment.
The fire, which occurred on Feb. 17, seemed to originate from an outlet on the fourth floor, according to an AFD incident report. No injuries or deaths were reported.
Most damage to the building came from the water suppression system, with the most impact on the apartment where the fire originated and those beneath it, Rymer said.
Many displaced residents spent a month or more at the Days Inn on Columbus Road. MacKillop said the cost of the rooms was covered. The city notified Fairfield Homes it was required to cover the cost of temporary housing, Athens Service Safety Director Andy Stone previously told the Independent.
The rental company also supported displaced residents by providing food and, later, debit cards, MacKillop said.
Still, the stay at the Days Inn was challenging. MacKillop said he struggled with nightmares in which he was back in his apartment during the fire, and also struggled with the limited walkability of Columbus Road.
MacKillop was out when the fire began in his apartment. “When I got back, there was 6 inches of water on the floor, and the place was full of smoke,” he said.
MacKillop tried to rescue his dog and three cats from the apartment, wading through water and beneath the smoke. Between his efforts and those of the fire department when they arrived, all his pets were rescued.
The next few hours and days were particularly difficult. MacKillop left his apartment in inadequate, soaked clothing, and waited in the cold February day. Eventually, he said a friend from down the road arrived with a box of dry clothes.
Residents then moved to a temporary shelter with the support of the American Red Cross.
American Red Cross Regional Communications Director Marita Salkowski said the Red Cross works in crisis situations to connect affected people with various services, including physical and mental healthcare.
MacKillop struggled to access his medications for multiple days, and therefore had trouble eating, he said. His dog, Rafa, was also agitated at the temporary shelter, which caused him to have trouble sleeping.
With support from Hopewell Health Centers, he said, he moved into a motel until all affected residents were able to go to the Days Inn.
MacKillop is still recovering from the experience. He lost almost all his furniture and belongings to the fire, and said he has yet to replace much of it. He also still struggles emotionally.
“I’ve still not really had a chance to really debrief from the whole thing,” MacKillop said.
