SPRINGVILLE, N.Y. (WKBW) — At least 20 people are without a home after a late-night fire in Springville on Monday. The Erie County Sheriff's Office says 36-year-old Sara Lilley of Springville was arrested and charged with arson following the fire investigation.
The Springville Volunteer Fire Company told 7 News they responded to the fire at the apartment complex on North Buffalo Street around 11 p.m. Everyone was able to get out of the apartment and no injuries were reported, according to the fire company. The company said the building that caught fire is considered a total loss.
Residents in the apartment building next door were also forced out of their homes. Crews said this was because they had to "cut their water" to fight the fire.
Mindi Marrelli and her four kids have lived at the complex for the last six years. She said heavy smoke could be seen coming from the Springville apartment complex, and flames quickly engulfed the four housing units. When they were inside Monday night, they heard a frantic knock on their door.
"Our neighbor came pounding on our door screaming fire. If it wasn't for him we wouldn't have been out," Marrelli said.
Marrelli's daughter Naveah said the fire spread fast.
"Our whole downstairs was flooded with smoke. We couldn't see, smell, it was just full of smoke," she said.
Marrelli said they lost their two cats.
"I just wanted to wake up and for it to be a dream," she said.
Now, the Springville community is rallying together to support the impacted families.
"So, I put a Facebook message out there on different sites and I've had a lot of people already messaging me and dropping off a lot of donations at my house," Sherilyn Kehr, a family/friend of Marrelli, said.
Kehr is hoping to grow the pile of donations for all of the families from Monday's fire.
"It's been really good our community has rallied together really nicely," Kehr said.
Kehr is asking for clothes to be donated to these families who lost everything.
"Any help is appreciated," she said.
Through this dark time, the Springville community is bringing light to those who need it the most.
"So thankful of everybody coming together and supporting us through this hard time supporting everyone who lost everything," Naveah said.
Here are some of the ways you can help the families impacted:
- Springville Moose Lodge will be a drop-off for donations on January 28 from 12-4 p.m., and February 4 from 11-5 p.m.
- Gowanda Moose Lodge will also serve as a drop-off location on February 1 from 11-5 p.m.
- A GoFundMe has been set up to help Marrelli's family of five
