COLUMBIA, S.C. — An ongoing evacuation affecting hundreds of residents at Colony Apartments in Columbia continues but units are gradually being reopened.
According to the Columbia-Richland Fire Department, 293 residents were ordered to evacuate earlier this week due to heat and water problems as well as gas leaks.
The department deemed an additional 18 units safe for residents to return to on Saturday. But one resident, who chose to remain anonymous, is among many still waiting to be cleared to return home.
“It’s hard to not be with your kids and you have to, just to be outside while everybody else go home and relax and the heat, the air - whatever they got in their house that we don’t have," she said." We’re still here, and there’s only a handful of us that came back.”
Columbia code enforcement and the Columbia-Richland Fire department were still at the site on Saturday inspecting the apartments and installing smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
“Right now, we’re just diligently trying to get these people back into their apartment," Fre Chief Aubrey Jenkins said. "We’re working very hard, even working on today, and we plan on being here tomorrow as well just to get people back in their apartments."
But some residents expressed frustration as they continue to wait for answers.
“It’s no joke, it’s not a game. We rather be home, we don’t wanna be in no rooms," said Qween. "We get rooms when we wanna have a little lay-down, chill downtime, and stuff like that, but we need y’all to help us."
Inspections of the apartments will continue throughout the coming days.