Homes have been found for residents of the Bluffs who were displaced by an early Saturday morning fire, and the community is stepping up to provide support for the victims.

The Leasing Manager at the Bluffs, Neva Fisher, said there were 28 apartment units ( homes ) in the building that burned ( Building B ). “At the current time everybody is safe. Nobody is injured. It was about 28 homes worth of families that have been displaced.” She agreed with a rough estimate by Junction City Fire Chief Terry Johnson that approximately 40 to 50 people were displaced from their residence.

Fisher noted everyone was evacuated properly and new homes have been found for those residents.  “It may not be a home that they’re going to be in. Just for the next few weeks as everything kind of pans out or into a new home that they’re wanting to transfer over to. ” Fisher did note this is a military community and some were out of town that they had not yet been able to make contact with by early Saturday afternoon, and get directly placed somewhere, but she added there will definitely be something for them.

The Red Cross also arrived on scene during the early morning hours Saturday to provide assistance.

Firefighters were called to the scene at 1:12 a.m. Saturday. Firefighters and emergency personnel from multiple agencies all reported to the scene of the blaze on the south side of the Bluffs complex.

The community responded quickly to help with donations for the victims. “Everybody has just been so amazing. I have requested that we do some off-site donation sites.  Dillons is one that has already reached out. And my goal for that just in the next few days is that we want to keep traffic low as the people and the victims kind of get settled in, and kind of come to realization of what’s just happened. ” Another reason for that decision is that Fisher also wanted to ensure that no one is in the way of the investigation by authorities.

The donations will be kept off-site for the next few days and then later opened up at the clubhouse at the Bluffs. Fisher said some churches have reached out to see if anything or help is needed. The families who were impacted by the blaze range from toddlers to single young adults, to older residents. “Some of the things that you don’t realize, their medications, their glasses, prescription glasses, those are things that can’t be donated. We’re just looking for options for them.” Fisher confirmed the majority of the residents were affiliated with the military, but there was one USD 475 teacher and a small number of other civilians who resided in the building that burned.

Fisher commended the Bluffs staff for their quick response and help, and their owners and management company for their support.

Fire Chief Terry Johnson confirmed the building that burned Saturday morning is a loss. Another fire at the Bluffs in April of 2016 destroyed Building F in the complex. There were no injuries in that fire.