Staff photo / Chris McBride Firefighters coordinate efforts as thick plumes of smoke billow from the roof of a Stonegate apartment complex building in Warren on Wednesday evening.

WARREN — A fire broke out Wednesday evening at the Stonegate Apartment complex on Robert Avenue NW, sending thick smoke and flames billowing into the sky as the Warren Fire Department battled the flames.

Warren Safety Service Director Eddie Colbert confirmed that the Red Cross had been called in to provide temporary housing for displaced residents. No injuries had been reported at press time, but residents said everyone made it out of the building except for some pets.

The fire, which began around 7 p.m., occurred in one complex that was attached to another, which also was evacuated.

Flames calmed, then grew larger as crews sprayed water on the building from different angles with smoke pouring from the upper right side of the building.

Residents stood watch outside, bearing the bitter cold temperatures as they watched firefighters work to fan the flames.

Many of them spoke out against the living conditions of the apartment complexes.

“This was only a matter of time,” said Shantae Keen, a resident who described the building as having several unresolved problems, including frequent flooding from water main breaks and ongoing bug infestations.

Brooke Strother, who has lived at the complex for nearly two years, shared similar feelings.

“I’m surprised it happened, but at the same time, I’m not,” Strother said. “We’ve been dealing with it for months now, and things just aren’t getting fixed. It’s only a matter of time before something like this happens.”

Other residents gave similar accounts, adding there are persistent problems with management, who they say are unresponsive.

Christina Butch, a resident who has lived in the complex since December 2020, said that her building was plagued with flooding, roaches and a lack of necessary repairs. She also said the management blamed the tenants for the building’s issues.

“They blame it on people like squatters. That’s not always the determination of everything,” Butch said.

Suzanne Fox, a five-year resident, noted that while her apartment had not experienced the same extent of issues, she too had dealt with plumbing problems and unresponsive maintenance staff. “It’s frustrating when you pay rent and can’t get basic repairs done,” Fox said.