Tuesday afternoon duplex fire in Copperas Cove displaces four

By LYNETTE SOWELL 

Cove Leader-Press 

A Tuesday afternoon fire that started inside a storage building destroyed the duplex on Marston Street in Copperas Cove.

It took 24 minutes from the time of the alarm to it being deemed under control, according to Copperas Cove Fire Chief Gary Young. 

However, it was enough time for the occupants of the duplex to lose everything. 

Radiant heat from the blaze was so intense that it melted some of the siding on the home next door. 

Chief Young said that the cause of the fire was “undetermined after investigation.”

Altogether, three engines, two ambulances, the shift supervisor and fire marshal, a total of 13 individuals, responded to the call. 

Terry Millianoes, one of the residents, said that he lost his work boots, some clothes, and the furniture he brought to the duplex, but the other two who had just moved into the apartment lost everything. 

“I was in the house and when I opened the back door, the blast from the flames knocked me back inside,” he said.

It didn’t take long for the fire to hop from the storage building to the house. 

Millianoes said there was a resident also living next door, but he wasn’t home at the time of the fire when Millianoes knocked on the door to warn him. 

Millianoes said the American Red Cross was on board with initial assistance right away. The three are temporarily staying in a hotel. The Red Cross even gave them some initial financial assistance to purchase some clothing, to start with.

He is thankful for the offered assistance, even from total strangers. A local food truck owner told him that if they need meals every day, not to hesitate but let them know. 

Still, he was disappointed to see his friends’ efforts to get into their first place. Now, the work to find an affordable apartment and come up with the deposits, household goods, and more, starts again. 

A GoFundMe account has been set up for them at https://gofund.me/c4ff25fe.