LOUISVILLE, Ky. — More than 24 hours after a three-alarm fire destroyed the 310 @ NULU apartment building, many still have questions about its cause.
Firefighters were initially called to the Ballard Street location around 3 a.m. Monday for what some reported as a “burning smell.”
They were called back to the scene around 6:15 a.m. as flames were reported coming from the awning of the nine year old, four-story building.
More than 100 firefighters responded to the incident as flames and thick, billowing smoke filled the area. The intensity of the smoke was visible around Louisville’s skyline during sunrise.
Concerns of the structure’s stability are still at the forefront.
Louisville Fire Chief Brian O’Neill said emergency crews are keeping a close eye on the exterior walls of the building out of fears they could collapse. Out of precaution, two buildings near the property have been evacuated.
O’Neill said it was important they got everyone out of the building safely.
“Some of those people have been displaced,” O’Neill said, adding that most residents had renter's insurance, something the building's management required. “The American Red Cross is doing an amazing job of taking care of people with food, help with lodging.”
At one point LFD was also in the burning building and could not see any smoke or flames. O'Neill said the situation was too difficult to navigate and ordered his crews to also evacuate.
"We're seeing the conditions," he said. "You have an attic that's fully involved from front to back to side to side. We can see too that some the fire was clearly in the void spaces and floors. it was time to get those firefighters out there."
O'Neill went on to state that determining the source of this fire will be difficult. He said investigators can only use drone footage and information from their initial arrival because they cannot enter the building safely.
Sixty-four people from 37 apartment units were affected. A few of those displaced were medical students from the University of Louisville.
It’s unclear if those who still have personal belongings inside will get to them including cars parked in the garage.
O’Neill said the apartments sat on top of the garage and how the structure was built, some of the upper floors began collapsing on it.
“We really don’t know the state of any of the cars that are down in there or if they’ll be able to get safely to them,” he said. “We are still thoughtful of people’s property – if there is the opportunity to try to, as they move to try to demolish this building and take it down to any way sort through those things that people can try to get some of their possessions that may not have been damaged in the fire or may not be beyond repair with water, we’re going to try to help with that.”
The apartment complex has other similar structures built the same way as the one that caught on fire.
O'Neill said not knowing how this fire started does raise concerns if this could happen again.
"It's always a concern when you see similar types of construction," he said. "It just seems simplistic but it's safe until it's not. Until it gets wear and tear, until it gets a little fire impingement it goes down quickly. So certainly, people need to be safe. They have to have two ways to get out in case there is an emergency."
As a firefighter, O'Neill said he is always pushing for building codes to be stronger. He said lightweight trusts like this building can hold more weight than traditional construction. However, he also said that because they are lightweight, they are held together by glue and gusset plates.
"They hold more weight initially but once one part of that is damaged the entire system fails," O'Neill said.
The Fire Prevention Bureau has checked out the building and has put in an order for an emergency demolition. Before that can happen, it has to go through city officials, and they will determine how and when it will take place. O'Neill said it's now up to the city to plan when the structure will come down.
O’Neill noted the management company over 310 @ NULU have been in contact with tenants and has been helping with assistance.
A spokesperson for the University of Louisville said they were working with those affected to find temporary or long-term housing. They have also provided students with food vouchers and vouchers for emergency supplies.
Crews will continue to conduct “fire watch” procedures through the evening to ensure there are no hot spots that could result in another fire.
If you’re renting an apartment or house in the Louisville area, O’Neill notes it would be a good idea to have it handy. He said when fire crews make calls to incidents like 310 @ NULU, renters often do not have insurance.
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