kupchurch@heraldsun.com; 419-6612
DURHAM -- Six families who were burned out of their Royal Oaks Apartments homes this week were moving into new apartments at the same complex Friday after spending a couple of nights at a motel.
''Today's moving day,'' Michelle Sparrow, manager of the apartment complex off Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard, said Friday. "We're getting everybody into new apartments. Our plans today are to help these people get their items out.''
The fire damaged an apartment building Tuesday night at 3536 Mayfair St. Fire Department spokeswoman Sierra Jackson said the blaze appears to have been set deliberately, but it has not been determined how it was set. No arrest had been reported as of Friday.
"We've been working hard the last two days trying to get some apartments ready for them, and the numbers just worked out right for us,'' Sparrow said.
She said no one was injured in the fire. "We were very fortunate,'' she said.
Sparrow said the damaged apartments eventually will be repaired, but no timetable for that has been set.
Marcus Brodie, one of the six families moving into new apartments Friday, said he, his wife and their three children spent three nights at a Red Roof Inn after being displaced by the fire.
Brodie said his new apartment is about two buildings from his old one.
"It's a little different, but we have a home to go to,'' he said. He said none of his personal property was damaged.
"I feel a lot of relief,'' he added.
