Martinsville police say they expect to file arson related charges next week. Officers say they have interviewed a suspect.
Another source tells WDBJ-7 that a resident is suspected of setting the fire inside her own apartment. Police would not confirm that information but do say they received a call about the fire from the Spruce Village complex.
UPDATED: 2:00 p.m.
WDBJ7 has learned that residents from two of the buildings are being allowed back into their apartments Friday afternoon.
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Police in Martinsville are investigating a fire at an apartment complex. It happened at Spruce Village apartment complex on Thursday at 11:20 a.m. The fire started in apartment #303 and has been ruled arson.
Fire officials say this is one of the biggest fires they have worked in years primarily because of the number of people displaced. Twenty-one of the 100 apartments are now unliveable and 100 people were displaced. Most of the apartments suffered smoke and water damage. Professional cleaning crews are on site trying to restore some of the apartments.
The Red Cross is trying to house some of the displaced residents in hotels or other facilities. A temporary shelter had been set up at the middle school but it has since closed.
Assistant fire chief Greg Reeves says hopefully, some of those people can return to their homes soon.
