An early Thursday morning fire at an Orangeburg apartment complex has left six families without a place to live.

The Roosevelt Gardens Apartments fire, which Orangeburg Department of Public Safety Fire Investigators are calling 'suspicious", occurred around 2:21 a.m. destroying a portion of an eight-unit apartment building located on U.S. Highway 601 behind the Family Health Center.

There were no injuries reported as a result of the blaze which has left 27 people without shelter. The fire also sent to firefighters to The Regional Medical Center for injuries sustained in a fall during a floor collapse. The firefighters were treated and released.

Orangeburg Department of Public Safety Captain Mike Adams said responding officers found the center portion of the eight unit building fully involved with fire venting through the roof.

Officers were able to bring the fire under control after approximately forty-five minutes although salvage and overhaul operations continued for several hours.

The cost and extent of damage is still under assessment.

"Six families have been displaced due to heavy fire damage," Adams said.

The fire appears to have started in a vacant apartment that was without power.

"It appeared suspicious to use because it started in an unoccupied apartment with no power going to it," Adams said, referring all other questions to the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office which was handling the investigation.

Adams said of the eight units two were vacant.

The American Red Cross is assisting those families by providing shelter, clothing, food and other necessary items.

The Orangeburg DPS responded to the fire with four engine trucks, one ladder truck, and one rescue truck along with tankers and personnel from the Jamison, Four Holes, North, Wolfton, St. Matthews, Cameron, Cordova, Midway, and Caw Caw Fire Departments.

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