Fire in New Albany apartment complex displaces elderly tenant, leaves water damage for many others

NEW ALBANY, Ind. (WDRB) -- It's been nearly 40 years since Gloria Alley moved into her apartment at Mark Elrod Tower in New Albany, and Monday morning was unlike any other.

She left her apartment to grab breakfast, and when she returned, firefighters were outside the building because of something inside her kitchen.

"I even left my poor cat up there because I didn't think I had anything on," Alley said Monday. "I lost everything I had."

She said the fire started at her stove, which she claims she never touched. Firefighters had to douse the entire kitchen to put out the flames.

"I feel sorry because a lot of people got their apartments damaged because of the water," Alley said. "I'm not the only one suffering."

The water used to put the fire out worked its way from Alley's fifth-floor apartment all the way down to the ground level.

Christi Clarke, who was visiting her mother in the building, said they initially thought water was coming into her apartment from the sprinklers. Turns out it was actually "seeping out of the wall," Clarke said.

"This facility is not doing what it's supposed to do," Clarke said. "(My mom) pays her rent every month. She pays her bills. She should be getting back what she pays for."

One tenant of the building, who wanted to remain anonymous for fear of retribution, said the damage in her apartment is significant.

"Even if it's just an inch of water, that's the bottom and legs of everything," she said. "My couch is even wet."

The female tenant had other plans for the day, hoping to get her apartment cleaned so family in town for the week could stay with her.

But now, that's not going to happen.

"It's just a mess," she said. "I'm irritated about it."

There are people working to get the water out of the affected apartments. The New Albany Housing Authority said Alley will be sleep in a hotel Monday night.