Fairport Harbor apartment building catches fire as man showers

FAIRPORT HARBOR, Ohio - The day started like any other for Rick Nelson of Fairport Harbor.

His car was warming up in the driveway and he was taking a quick shower before going to his job as an appliance salesman at Fred's Appliance in Madison. That's when he first smelled smoke.

Minutes later Nelson's neighbors were pounding on his door.

"As soon as I opened the door the entire hall way was filled with smoke, " said Nelson.

Nelson quickly dressed and ran from his apartment into the bitter outside cold with the other tenants of the four-unit building. In the scramble he only grabbed his cell phone -- his roommate carried his dog.

As the residents warmed in their cars, flames began to grow from the basement windows.

The developing blaze was one of about a dozen that damaged and destroyed dwellings in this small lakeside village. The cause of the fires appears to be a surge in natural gas line pressure.

Soon responding fire units surrounded Nelson's apartment building and a maze of hoses sprayed water that quickly turned to ice.

"I saw the roof collapse in as they were spraying it and they were breaking out more windows," said Nelson.

That was all Nelson saw until hours later. He spent the afternoon at the Fairport Harbor Senior and Community Center. There, he was offered assistance by the Red Cross and updated by emergency personnel as to the situation at his home.

Shortly after 2 p.m., Nelson was able to return to his apartment building.

"Have to wait to see what's salvageable," said Nelson, as he shrugged and shook his head.

Firefighters at the scene said the building was gutted by the fire and was too unstable for Nelson or his neighbors to enter seeking their personal effects. Nelson was hoping he might be able to retrieve his wallet and banking cards. Instead, Nelson told NewsChannel5 he would contact his bank.

As evening approached, Nelson drove away in his car, which was parked right behind the destroyed building, but was undamaged.

"Luckily, I have family I can stay with...  And they'll help get stuff built back up for me," said Nelson.