Charitable collection begun for fire-displaced tenants
Dec. 29—On Thursday morning all that was left of an apartment house at 1726 Wilmer Avenue was a pile of rubble.
An excavator scooped up the debris to an awaiting dump truck while some of the displaced residents watched in silence as their memories were hauled off to the landfill.
A Monday night fire destroyed the structure forcing residents to flee unexpectedly when flames and smoke disrupted their holiday routines.
A number of confused cats darted in and out of the rubble Thursday, searching for their homes that no longer exist.
Behind the burned site, the property's owner, Tallulah Diffie, along with some of the residents have set up a picnic table for people to bring donations.
Diffie said that the Anniston Housing Authority brought housing applications for displaced residents.
"That's going to be a blessing and anybody that can bring blankets and pillows to help with the people that are homeless will help, we've had some donations today that people have dropped off which is appreciated very much," she said.
Diffie said that men's clothing sizes large and medium are desperately needed.
Homes are also needed for the displaced pets left behind due to the blaze.
"We need homes for cats. We also have an in-house pitbull and a bluetick dog, they've always been in-house, they walk on leashes. They're not fighting dogs, they're not hunting dogs, both of them are neutered, we just need good homes for them," she said.
"We have 6-8 cats or more, and most of them have been neutered ... all we need is loving homes that will provide inside care for them, some of them are beautiful," Diffie said as two tabby cats walked across the parking lot searching for affection.
"We lost the lives of a bunch of them that were trapped in the building that burned, which was sad," she said, recalling the lately mourned lives of animals such as James, Cat-Cat, Ring and Jingles.
Diffie said that all of the apartments had smoke detectors as required by the city and the fire most likely started in the rear of the building.
"The fire marshal is investigating. Everybody that I've talked to said it started upstairs probably in about the middle corner room up there," Diffie said.
Diffie watched as another load of debris was dropped into a dump truck.
"It's just sad, it breaks my heart. I started this in '87 for military people that needed housing ... the housing authority at Fort McClellan called me and asked me if I could provide some housing so I remodeled the building," Diffie said, pointing to the building that was still standing.
Diffie recalled the night of the fire.
"I was here till 8:30 feeding the dogs that were in the office and a bird, I have a bird back there. I was feeding those and I left a little after 8:30 and I had just gotten home and I live off Henry Road up on the mountain."
The apartment manager, Mark Diamond, called Diffie and told her the building was on fire.
"I put my shoes right back on and I got back and got down here and it was already blazing, it was just that quick, it didn't take 15 minutes until it was engulfed," Diffie said.
Diffie said that there had been studio and one-bedroom apartments available averaging $450 per month including all utilities.
Laura Lee Harrington and her family pulled up and dropped off several bags of donations.
"If you're in need you're in need, God understands. I had a talk with him already," Harrington told an appreciative Diffie. Persons wanting to offer assistance to those affected by the fire may reach Diffie at (256) 282-4291, she said.
Staff writer Bill Wilson: 256-235-3562. On Twitter @bwilson_star.
