Lightning strike sparks apartment fire in Savannah, 18 people displaced

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Apartment 307 was a dream for Bella Rosales.

“We thought this place was really cute, a great spot, a great price for sure, it checked all our boxes at the time,” Rosales said.

It was her first apartment in Savannah, after relocating across the country for school.

With just 2 weeks left on her lease, lightning struck the top of her apartment building last Friday and within minutes, everything she owned was up in smoke. Her once beautiful apartment complex, now condemned by the city.

READ: Fire at White Bluff apartment complex sparks GoFundMe for displaced resident

“And like, you can’t even see my clothes, you can see if they’re burnt here from the ceiling,” Rosales said.

Last Friday, WTOC was on the scene of that fire.

At the time, Rosales—nor us— knew just how bad the damage was.

“I don’t think I did, walking in here for the first time… I was thinking, there is no way,” she said.

As she walks the skeleton of what used to be her home, Rosales sees ash, charred belongings, a caved in ceiling, but she also sees gratitude and hope.

“It’s so surreal, but I have just felt so grateful since the second it happened, I contacted my friends, and they have been just so supportive,” she said.

A GoFundMe, countless calls and texts offering places to stay, even the clothing she’s wearing all provided from the community she has created here in Savannah.

“Its been overwhelming for sure, but it has also been amazing, and that is something I didn’t lose,” Rosales expressed.

As a result of the fire a total of 18 people were displaced, 14 being adults and 4 children.