Hoover Fire Department investigates blaze at Riverchase Landing apartments

The Hoover Fire Department today is investigating a blaze that left residents at the Riverchase Landing Apartments looking for alternate housing on Sunday night.

At 5:52 p.m. Sunday, firefighters responded to a call at the 2700 block of River Haven Lane. It took them about an hour to put out a fire in a two-story building that caused heavy damage to five apartment units and smoke damage to several others, fire Capt. Scott West said.

There were no reported injuries, and nobody had to be rescued, West said.

But the Fire Department did evacuate all 20 units in the affected building because the utilities were cut off, he said. “None of them were allowed to return last night,” West said.

The Fire Department is investigating the cause of the blaze. Six fire trucks, including two ladder trucks, responded to the call.

West said the American Red Cross, Hatching Hope of Alabama disaster relief agency, Church of the Highlands and apartment management were working together to find alternate housing for those affected. 

Alexis March with Balfour Beatty Communities, the property management company for Riverchase Landing, said that 58 residents were displaced by the fire and that inspections are ongoing to determine the level of damage to each unit. 

March added that residents have the option to move into another vacant unit on the property. Apartment staff also have reached out to other local apartment communities to provide additional housing options for residents, she said. 

This story was updated Jan. 22 at 9:55 a.m. to include comments from Balfour Beatty Communities.