Wednesday night the Mansfield Fire Department was called to 211 N. Main St., Mansfield with report of fire at 7:59 p.m. The department responded to the Voegele apartments which included 21 occupied residences.
“I called it in,” said resident Valerie Harper, who lives in apartment G02, “I heard a ‘pop’ and went to the elevator and pushed the button to the laundry room. The elevator didn’t work. When I looked down, I saw the smoke.” She called 911.
Then with help from Don Todd, another resident, they went door to door to tell residents to get out.
“There was one in a wheelchair, one on oxygen, and one in a walker,” Harper stated, “It was hard work running the floors. The alarm didn’t go off.” The building contains five floors and a total of 25 apartments but only 21 were occupied.
Shanican Pender said someone knocked on her door, “The smoke detectors didn’t go off and the emergency lights didn’t go off. Last year there was smoking from someone cooking and all the alarms went off. Thank God for Vallerie and Don who went to each door.”
Pender said she was going to stay at her daughter’s home.
Asst. Chief Chris Speelman said the cause was possibly lightening but it was still under investigation. Speelman said the inside structural studs were on fire and the entire building was evacuated. He and other firefighters continued to inspect the building for potential break-outs long after the crisis was diminished.
Five engines, two squads, a ladder truck, and an investigator responded to the scene as well as the Richland County Red Cross include Disaster Relief Specialist Julie Frim and two volunteers.
“Some residents are making their own arrangements,” said volunteer Molly McCue, of Bellville. During the evening she gave blankets and Mickey Mouse stuffed characters to children and even to Todd for his rescue efforts.
“Some are going to families, but others don’t have options,” stated Frim, “With this amount of people we have the option to open a shelter.”
By 11 p.m. residents were permitted to go in and collect some belongings; and though only a few residents needed shelter, the First Church of God at 200 W. 3rd St. was opened to the residents.
The Voegele Brother’s building, also known as the Karl Schafer Co., is listing on the National Registry of Historic Places.
