Three Fresno State students who lost their apartment to a fire Tuesday evening have been identified and say they are receiving a lot of support from friends and strangers in the local community.

Tess Warwick, a 21-year-old nutrition major; Molly Kaiser, a 21-year-old mass communication and journalism major; and Lindsey Thomas, a 21-year-old event management and planning major are still in disbelief after Tuesday̢۪s tragic fire at Bulldog Village, located on Cedar Avenue across from campus.

“It’s still setting in that this has happened…we don’t have a plan,â€Â Kaiser said.

No injuries

Fresno city fire crews responded to the call from the 5100 block of North Cedar Avenue, according to Ken Shockley, a spokesperson for the Fresno City Fire Department.

“Luckily, residents heard their smoke alarm go off and evacuated the complex safely with no one getting injured,â€Â Shockley said.

Shockley said that when fire crews got reports of the fire at 6:05 p.m., they found one apartment on fire and heavy smoke in the area. The fire caused an estimated $100,000 in damage. It destroyed one bedroom and caused smoke damage to the rest of the apartment, in addition to the above apartment units.

The last person left the apartment at 5:45 p.m., Kaiser said.

Cause undetermined

The Fresno Fire Department ruled the fire, which started in Kaiser’s bedroom, an accident — an accident that they say started with the disposal of a candlewick.

Kaiser isn̢۪t convinced that̢۪s how it began.

Fire investigators met with the victims Thursday.

“I’m certain it was an accident, but I’m hoping the fire investigators can determine if it was an accident on my side or if it was an electrical problem,â€Â Kaiser said.

She also said that investigators should look into other possibilities of what may have started the fire.

“All of my candles are still intact. I would’ve never left a candle burning,â€Â Kaiser said. “It could’ve been a cigarette butt that someone threw, it could’ve been the power outage [Tuesday] or it could’ve been an electrical problem that caught my trash can on fire because my trash can was full.â€Â

She added that neither she nor her roommates smoke.

Community comes to rescue with support

The three roommates, who moved in together back in August, are left with almost nothing. The fire destroyed their clothes, necessities and sentimental property.

Carla Coleman, Kaiser̢۪s mother, told The Collegian that if there̢۪s a lesson to be learned, it̢۪s to buy into renter̢۪s insurance.

“I’m thankful no one was hurt — it’s just the material stuff [that was destroyed],â€Â Coleman said.

The victims received aide from Red Cross, including food, money and clothes for the next two weeks, and have been moved into a new apartment temporarily.

Since the fire, members of the community have been donating clothes at the complex for the ladies.

“We are just so lucky, lucky to know a lot of really nice people; we’re lucky to have such great friends and support,â€Â Kaiser said.

On Wednesday, Kaiser and her mother sifted through the charred remains, looking for diamond and gold jewelry that Kaiser received as a graduation gift, but neither of them were able to find it in the mess.

Rebuilding

The three students will continue on with their everyday activities. Warwick works at the Student Recreation Center on campus, Thomas works at the Kennel Bookstore and Kaiser is an intern at the National Parks Conservation.

The three students relocated into their new apartment temporarily until their burnt apartment is remodeled and, in the meantime, are trying to focus on getting settled in. Anyone who wishes to send in a donation may do so at any Bank of America branch here in Fresno.