Metro Families In Need After Three-Alarm Apartment Fire In NW OKC

Sorting his candy from trick-or-treating, Latoya Greene's son Leroy heard smoke detectors sounding and ran to his mom's room.

“I was just scared a little bit,” he said.

In a panic, Greene grabbed her purse and keys and her family went for the front door of their third-floor unit at the Riverchase Apartments in northwest Oklahoma City. Heavy smoke poured in from the outside.

“It was kind of overwhelming at one point because I was just like, ‘I can’t believe this is actually happening,’” Greene said.

The Oklahoma City Fire Department requested a three-alarm response when the fire sparked after 8 p.m. October 31. A second-floor resident told investigators it started from grease on the stove. Two people went to the hospital for smoke inhalation and apartment managers said two dogs didn't survive.

Greene got a look inside her place the next day.

“Everything we worked hard for is just down the drain,” Greene said.

Even though her family will have to start all over, she's thankful they made it out safely and that Leroy took action when he did.

“He looked out for me,” she said. “That’s my little hero.”

Riverchase officials said 12 units were impacted and seven families were displaced. Apartment management helped arrange temporary housing. Maintenance crews continued working on the units affected, hoping to let families return Friday.

Anyone interested in helping the families affected by the fire can call the leasing office at 405-751-1221.