Community Working To Help Families Displaced By Tulsa Apartment Fire

First responders say the fire that killed a Tulsa man and left more than a dozen families without homes was an accident.

1 Dead In Tulsa Apartment Fire 

Just weeks before Christmas, those families are starting over again many of them lost their homes and belongings. Now the community is trying to get them back on their feet again.

The fire destroyed six apartments at and several others have extensive smoke and water damage.

"The entire building was just on fire. Everyone is just running around, you could hear just screams from people," said Joslyn Saldivar.

Firefighters say several people saw a man, running out of his apartment on fire and collapsing in front of the building where he died.

"Some of the stairwells on this side were burned off so we were having to make entry from the other side and we were breaching the walls on the interior of the apartment," said Tulsa Fire Department.

The people living in every one of the units had to be moved. The manager of The Park at Forest Oaks says some of the families went to a nearby sister property, others are staying in empty apartments on the property and the rest are staying with family or friends. One resident spent the day looking for her three-legged cat named Hope who she says ran away in all the chaos. 

"I can't imagine losing everything, on any given day but let alone, like you said a couple of days, a couple of weeks before Christmas. That is when we have the most hope and to have that hope taken away it has really got to hurt," said Karen Streeter of the Tulsa Community House.

As news of the tragedy spread, the Tulsa community was already stepping up to help.

"Our job is to really be a neighborhood resource to the community, so it was only natural that I responded and made an offer to support those families once they get into their homes," said Streeter.

Investigators haven't released the name of the man who died. Investigators haven't released the name of the man who died. The apartment complex is collecting food and clothing donations to help the fire victims. If you want to help - you can drop them off here at the front office.