MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Investigators have now determined what caused a devastating fire in Parkway Village late Tuesday night that displaced at least 24 people.
“I’m just hurt,” said Gabby Brewer.
Just 4 days before Christmas, every present Brewer bought for her 9 year old son is gone.
Her Christmas tree now laying in a pile of charred wood and ashes.
“When I looked out my room I saw that my whole kitchen and half my living room was on fire, and my son he was sleep.”
Brewer grabbed her son and nothing else and got out watching all that she owned destroyed by flames. Fire investigators say Brewers stove malfunctioned causing the fire that spread to 14 other apartments.
“It started in my apartment and then my neighbor’s apartment started burning as we were knocking on their door,” said Brewer.
“The fire just started spreading through the walls,” added Brewer.
Brewer says she looked through the smoke with each knock, Making sure her neighbors got out, people she considers not just friends but also family.
Now that the adrenaline is wearing off she’s slowly coming to grips with her new reality.
“I can’t sleep I lost everything I work hard,” said Brewer.
The pain of losing it all takes her breath away but the pricelessness of being able to take another breath with her family this holiday season gives her hope.
The blaze around 10:45 p.m. at the Eastwood Park Apartments on Getwell Road just north of Knight Arnold Road.Some of the displaced residents were able to stay with friends or relatives.
Those who didn’t have a place to go are being sheltered by the American Red Cross.
