VIDEO: Seventeen people were forced out of their apartment homes after massive fire overtook a Raleigh apartment complex on Wednesday night, burning for over two hours.
Firefighters were called to The Oak Apartments in the 3900 block of Water Oak Drive, off New Hope Road, before 9 p.m.
A total of 16 units in the building were impacted by the fire, most with smoke and water damage, but four homes were destroyed by fire.
Raleigh Fire Department Battalion Chief Brian Sherrill said two people were injured in the fire, which took a long time to extinguish. "There was a lot of fire," Sherrill explained. "In apartment buildings, there are a lot of small areas in the attic, so fire can actually get in there and it can be hard to get to ... it takes longer to find the fire and actually get to it to put it out."