KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — Residents of a Knoxville apartment complex that lost its roof in an overnight storm will be placed in hotels, according to the Knoxville Fire Department.
Seventy people had to be evacuated overnight at 1100 Studio Apartments after the rubber membrane roof blew off. They were taken to the Knoxville Civic Coliseum for emergency shelter.
The Red Cross has scaled back their shelter operation, but is still helping the residents with essentials.
Residents of Building C were evacuated briefly this morning while crews checked their building, but they are now back at home.
Crews are working to fix damages to the building.
Original story
The Knoxville Fire Department evacuated 70 units of the D building of 1100 Studio Apartments early Friday morning after the rubber membrane roof blew off half of the apartment's C & D buildings, a news release from the department said.
No one was injured in the overnight incident.
KFD responded to the report of a roof collapse at around 1:45 a.m., according to the release.
Building D was fully evacuated, although Building C was not fully evacuated and some residents were sheltering in place as of 8:15 a.m., authorities on the scene confirmed to 10News.
The Knoxville Police Department and 'K-tran buses' assisted KFD with the evacuation. They took about 77 people to the Knoxville Civic Coliseum.
A new shelter for the affected residents will open at some point Friday morning at Austin East, Red Cross staff told 10News.
The damaged building housed about 150 units in total, the release said. There was no structural integrity damage to it as of 3 a.m. Friday-- only the rubber membrane and metal flashing which held the membrane in place had blown off the top of the building.
The extent of water or structural damage to the building is not yet clear, and there is no timeline on repairs as of 8:15 a.m. Friday.
10News will continue to update this story with any new information.