Julian Shen-Berro
The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)
(MCT)
Mar. 17—The cause of a Cary apartment fire that killed a 9-month-old baby last week has been ruled “undetermined,” local officials said Thursday.
The fire occurred March 7 at a three-story building at the Aurella Cary apartments on Harlon Drive.
In addition to the baby, the fire injured three others, including the child’s 28-year-old mother, who was in critical condition as of last week. She has since been released from the hospital, said Deanna Hawkes, Cary’s public safety spokeswoman.
An investigation by local and state agencies found the fire began on the third floor of Building 106 in an area storing combustible trash, according to a Thursday news release.
But officials could not determine what ignited the trash.
The investigation involved the Wake County Fire Marshal’s Office, the N.C. Office of State Fire Marshal, the Cary Fire Department, the Cary Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Cary Fire Chief Mike Cooper said in the news release that weather conditions that day — “sustained winds, high wind gusts and low humidity levels” — contributed to the rapid growth of the fire.
Smoke alarms were working
“Because we cannot specifically rule out all possible ignition sources, we are unable to say with certainty that we know exactly how the fire started,” Cooper said. “We can say with confidence that the smoke alarms in the building were working and did alert occupants at the time of the fire.”
A fire safety inspection of the apartment complex found a series of violations days before the fire, The News & Observer reported.
All fire extinguishers in the building affected by the fire needed servicing, according to the inspection report. That building was inspected March 3, though the report was not completed until the day after the fire.
Officials said Thursday that those violations were unrelated to “the area of origin” of the fire.
The blaze affected 20 units, destroyed 12 apartments, displaced at least 34 people and prompted eight 911 calls.
Callers reported seeing a large fire and smelling the stench of burning, while one described jumping from the third floor to escape the building.
“Firefighters did everything they could that day to prevent loss of life and extinguish the fire, and I want to thank everyone who responded for their tireless effort and dedication,” Cooper said. “This was a tragic event for our community and our thoughts remain with the Aurella Cary residents, especially the family who lost their child.”
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This story was originally published March 17, 2022 3:01 PM.
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