INDIANAPOLIS — Daylight revealed the damage at Pangea Hills Apartments after nine units were destroyed in a fire. The people living inside are thankful that at least no one was hurt this holiday season.
"I've never been in this type of thing before," said Wanda Royal.
It's been a long and emotional day for Royal.
"They were banging on the door. I was in bed, and they kept knocking, and I didn't know what was going on until I got up and came to the door and she told me, 'get out, get out. The apartment is on fire,'" Royal said.
Royal barely escaped Thursday morning's fire.
"Something exploded, and everybody went that way, just lucky to get out," Royal said.
Royal and neighbors returned to what's left of their homes near north Lynhurst Drive, looking for anything worth salvaging.
Dereck Rivera Herrana came over in a panic to check on a friend.
"I thought I lost my favorite friend, but then he texted me, and I knew he was OK," he said.
He and everyone else. No physical injuries, but the mental ones will last as nine families start over.
"I'm ready to go," Royal said.
She's not sure where she'll go though.
"I've gotta figure out something. I don't know what yet," Royal said.
Left homeless before Christmas, she's still counting her blessings.
"I lost quite a few stuff but by the grace of God, I'm still here. I'm still here," Royal said.
A Wayne Township Fire Department spokesperson told 13News the Red Cross is helping those whose apartments were seriously damaged.
Investigators have not shared how the fire started.
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