A Monday afternoon fire at an apartment complex on Park Hill Drive in Gainesville left 18 people without a place to stay.
Division Chief Keith Smith with the Gainesville Fire Department said a neighbor saw smoke and flames coming from a unit on the end of Building D at the Versailles Apartments and called 911.
"We have two apartments that were heavily damaged by fire and two bottom apartments that were damaged by smoke and water and the remaining two apartments on the upper level have smoke damage, as well," Smith said.
No injuries were reported, and Smith said the occupant of the unit where the fire is believed to have started had left home just minutes before the fire was discovered.
"The occupant had actually left the house around 1 o'clock and then received a call from the apartment complex letting him know that his apartment was the one involved with fire," Smith said.
Smith said the search for shelter for the families who were displaced began right away.
"With this cold weather, it's tough to get shelter arranged," Smith said. "We're trying to get them out of here as quick as we can because it's so cold and windy out here."
At mid-afternoon, investigators were working to determine the cause and origin of the fire.
