Red Cross Helps Fargo Apartment Fire Victims

The American Red Cross is encouraging everybody to take fire safety seriously during the quarantine, as well as make sure they have recently reviewed their emergency escape plans.

FARGO, N.D. – The American Red Cross is stepping in to help provide emergency lodging to the families displaced by last night’s apartment fire.

That fire occurred at the 2800 block of 7th Street North.

12 people are now being set up with emergency hotel rooms.

Red Cross teams will also be finding out what needs the families require, such as clothing and food.

Due to the coronavirus, the Red Cross has had to make some policy changes on how they handle cases.

“The hotel stay we are providing is a little bit longer then usual. Typically it would just be short term, so just a night or two. With the circumstances it’s a little bit harder for people to find new housing or a different apartment complex, that sort of thing,” said Gretchen Hjelmstad, Executive Director for the Eastern North Dakota/Northwestern Minnesota Red Cross.

She also said that drivers who respond to the scenes of disasters are now equipped with gloves and face masks, as well as undergo health checks before they go to a scene.

The American Red Cross is encouraging everybody to take fire safety seriously during the quarantine, as well as make sure they have recently reviewed their emergency escape plans.