COLUMBUS (WCMH) — A North Columbus fire is forcing dozens to leave their homes Wednesday evening and take up temporary emergency shelter facilitated by the Red Cross.
The cause is currently unknown and no serious injuries were reported, but multiple units, including many with young children, are currently unlivable.
Hassanatou Sylla is a mother who was forced to leave. She said she opened her door to smoke so thick it was dark.
“I said, ‘Oh my God. I don’t know what to do,'” she recalls.
She looked for other options and broke the window before calling for help. Those below told her to drop the children from the three-story — and she did.
By the time first responders caught the children, they had a ladder at the window and Sylla climbed out. Despite the temporary inconveniences, she’ll go to bed with a smile on her face.
“I’m so happy,” she says. “I have my daughter. I have my sister’s daughter. They’re fine.”Keep checking NBC4i.com for real-time updates on this story. To get alerts for breaking news, grab the free NBC4 News App for iPhone or Android. You can also sign up for email alerts.