RALEIGH -- On the night of March 16, 2017, a massive five-alarm fire broke out at the construction site of the Metropolitan Apartment complex in downtown Raleigh. Since then, Raleigh has continued to expand, but one year later, signs of the fire remain clearly visible.
- First call of fire came in at approximately 10:00 p.m. on March 16, 2017.
- No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.
- Damage in excess of $50 million.
- Cause remains unknown.
- Some surrounding buildings have managed to complete repairs, but others are still in the process of rebuilding.
The fire broke out just before 10:00 p.m. Being that the structure itself was largely wooden, it did not take long to expand, quickly becoming a ball of fire visible from miles away.
More than 100 firefighters from Wake and surrounding counties fought the fire for several hours, remaining on scene well into the next day. Miraculously, there were no injuries.
The estimated damage caused by the fire is in excess of $50 million.
One year later, the cause for the fire remains undetermined; a status which experts believe is unlikely to change, despite the strenuous efforts of the Raleigh Fire Department, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Raleigh Police Department and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
While officials are currently constructing a new building in the spot of the fire, it cannot go without notice that the building immediately across from the site, the Quorum Center, is still under repair.
Additionally, the building directly next door to the fire, the David E. Reynolds Building, remains with an "UNSAFE" sign hanging in the window. The fate of this building is unclear at this time.
The Link Apartments, another adjacent building, also suffered damage, but managed to complete repairs by the end of January 2018.
Construction at the site of the fire has since resumed. Clancy and Theys Construction, the company in charge of the project, says security and safety precautions are being taken.
The building is estimated to be completed in early to mid 2019.
It is unclear if it will still be called "The Metropolitan".
