Photo Gallery | Residents jump for their lives in Kannapolis apartment fire

KANNAPOLIS - The photos in this gallery were provided by the City of Kannapolis and by WBTV's Brigida Mack.  Mack spoke to residents Monday night while covering this story for WBTV.

At 4:17 p.m. on Monday, Kannapolis Fire Department was dispatched to a working apartment fire on Citadel Court off of Concord Lake Road.

The caller advised that there was a fire in the apartment building and that people were evacuating their homes.  Four units of the Royal Oaks Gardens apartments were involved in the fire.

Firefighters arrived on scene within five minutes to find heavy fire and smoke coming from the building, particularly the corner apartment.  Fire crews quickly entered the burning apartment in an attempt to extinguish the fire and search for victims. As this was occurring, the fire grew in intensity making the structure unsafe for firefighters.  Command quickly called a “Code Red” advising all firefighters to exit the structure.  Firefighters began a defensive attack on the fire using several aerial master streams.

Prior to the arrival of fire department personnel, several residents in the corner apartment became trapped by the flames and were forced to jump out of a second-story window.  While they received minor injuries; major injuries were not reported.

Approximately 35 firefighters and emergency workers were on the scene including firefighters from Landis Fire Department and members of Kannapolis Police Department and Cabarrus County EMS.  Odell Volunteer Fire Department assisted with district coverage.

The homes suffered significant damage.  The American Red Cross – Cabarrus County was called in to assist the families in need.    

At this time, the cause is still under investigation.