Carriage Hill Receives Great Deal of Support After Fire Destroys Building 12

On Sunday, February 26 at approximately 4 p.m., a fire was reported at Building 12 of Carriage Hill Apartments in Athens, Ohio. The building’s roof and third floor were destroyed, while the rest of the building sustained extensive water damage. The fire was contained by 8:30 p.m., however, Athens Fire Department remained on the scene through the night to maintain flare-ups. Unfortunately, the building and its contents are at a total loss and will be demolished in the coming weeks.

Thankfully, no serious injuries occurred, although one person was treated for smoke inhalation. Ohio University (OU) opened the doors of Baker University Center to serve as a warming station on Sunday evening. On Monday, OU and Athens’ communities rallied to collect food, clothing and other essentials for the residents, who lost their possessions to the fire.

American Red Cross also extended their services by providing food, clothing, temporary shelter and emotional support to the residents of the 24 apartment homes that were lost. Additionally, OU’s Housing and Residence Life will work with the students, faculty and staff member affected by the fire, while the American Red Cross will continue to assist the rest of Building 12’s residents.

We would like to recognize Wallick team members Rowe Shockley, Layne Hurst, Mitch Rubin, Ashley Castle and others for their quick actions.

We would also like to thank Ohio University, American Red Cross of Southeast Ohio, the Athens Fire Department and everyone else who tirelessly helped during this time of need. We will keep those affected by the fire at Carriage Hill in our thoughts, as we continue to assess damages and plan for the future.