Fire destroys 20 apartments at The Park at Hoover complex in Rocky Ridge area

A fire destroyed 20 apartments at The Park at Hoover complex off Lorna Road this afternoon, displacing about 50 people, fire officials said.

The blaze was reported just before 2 p.m. in the 6900 block of Rime Village Drive East, with a caller stating that a chimney was on fire, said Mike Bartlett, assistant chief for the Rocky Ridge Fire District.

"When we got there, the whole right side of the building was on fire," Bartlett said. The apartment building sits on a ridge, and the wind got into the fire, causing it to spread quickly, he said.

It took about 1 1/2 hours to get the fire under control, but the entire 20-unit building likely was lost, Bartlett said. About 16 of the 20 apartments had people living in them, but no one was injured and one pet was rescued, he said.

About 30 firefighters from the Rocky Ridge, Hoover and Vestavia Hills fire departments battled the blaze, Bartlett said. The two-alarm fire drew five fire engines and two ladder trucks, he said.

The American Red Cross is assisting the 50 or so displaced residents, Bartlett said. The cause of the fire has not been determined, he said. The state fire marshal's office was on the scene conducting an investigation, and firefighters were still putting out hot spots as of about 7:15 p.m., he said.