Atlanta, GA
Residents displaced by massive Atlanta apartment fire still fighting to get belongings
Resident says apartment won’t let him get belongings
Former residents of one northwest Atlanta apartment complex are fuming because they still can’t get their stuff. Bell Collier Apartments off Howell Mill Road caught fire on July 27. Management cancelled everyone’s leases a few days later because of the damage. But one resident says he has proof his unit wasn’t touched in the blaze and he says he just wants to be able to get what’s his.
ATLANTA – Former residents of the Bell Collier Village Apartments in northwest Atlanta are furious as they remain unable to get their belongings from their apartments following a devastating fire on July 27.
Christopher Jackson, one of those residents, said he has video proof that the inside of his home appeared undamaged, but still, management wouldn’t budge.
They canceled everyone’s lease earlier this month.
Days later, he said he returned to the complex on Howell Mill Road and a construction worker did him a favor by entering his unit to retrieve his medication.
“He FaceTimed me when he got into the unit, and the first thing he said when he got into my unit is, ‘This unit is just as you left it, there’s nothing wrong with this unit, I don’t know why they won’t let you in,’” Jackson recounted.
Though the video connection was poor, Jackson maintains there was no evidence of water, fire, or structural damage.
He presented the video to the company’s higher-ups, hoping they would reconsider their stance.
“They were more concerned in me telling them who recorded the video for me so they could reprimand them,” Jackson said.
A spokesperson for Bell Partners told FOX 5 in an email statement that the residents would get more information about how to get their things in the coming days.
“We appreciate the urgency and complexity of the situation,” said Rosie Downey, spokesperson for Bell Partners. “We are working with retrieval and recovery specialists to develop a safe and organized content removal process, as the site is not accessible given deteriorating and therefore hazardous conditions. Details will be shared in the coming days. We very much appreciate your continued understanding in this matter.”
Jackson expressed his frustration with the company’s communication.
“I am happy they responded to you because they have not responded to us. It’s just lies. They’re trying to do damage control with the media,” he said.
Having just signed a new lease, Jackson fears he may have to write off everything he owns still inside the building. But there are others who aren’t as lucky.
“There are people who have immigration papers in their unit, there are people who have ashes of deceased in their unit, and they will not let us in our units at all,” Jackson said.
Jackson has joined a class-action lawsuit against the building’s owners, alleging negligence.
Atlanta’s fire chief has also acknowledged equipment issues on the department’s end hindered efforts to combat the blaze.
Atlanta, GA
Power outage impacts more than 5,000 customers in Midtown Atlanta
Thousands of people are without power in Midtown Atlanta as crews work to restore service following an equipment failure, according to Georgia Power.
The outage affected nearly 5,300 customers, stretching from Currier Street Northeast to 11th Street.
Georgia Power said the outage was caused by an equipment issue, and crews are on-site making repairs.
Officials added that, thanks to smart grid technology, service is expected to be remotely restored to more than half of affected customers soon.
An estimated restoration time was listed at 10:15 a.m.
Atlanta, GA
The Best Vintage Shops in Atlanta
Vogue’s guide to the best vintage stores in Atlanta is part of our directory of the very best vintage around the world, curated by editors from all over. Whether you’re traveling and searching for some superb stores to visit on your trip or are curious about your local vintage treasure chests, Vogue’s directory has you covered.
Come to Atlanta for its southern charm and lush greenery, stay for its vintage. The Hollywood of the South has a lot more than on-set locations and an upcoming roster of FIFA World Cup games, and whether exploring shops along the Beltline, losing your voice at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, or itching for the eccentric pleasures of a roadside antique mall, these vintage gems make the journey to the A more than worth it.
Photo: Courtesy of The Clothing Warehouse
Dutch field pants, netted shirts, prairie dresses, and a floor-to-ceiling selection of cowboy boots are a few of the many goods awaiting your search at this Atlanta mainstay. Opened by Jim Buckley in 1992, the Clothing Warehouse now calls the hipster Little 5 Points home. Its redbrick exterior is hard to miss—head upstairs for womenswear and union-made dresses, then downstairs to a room of seriously color-coded tees—it’s likely you will find plenty of Atlanta history in the form of 1996 Summer Olympics shirts. Plus, its wholesale location is a 15-minute drive away in West Midtown, if you’re up for an afternoon dig.
Address: 420 Moreland Ave NE, Atlanta
At the vintage and makers market Mother Lode, there’s something for every lover of old things. Founder Lindsay Short’s estate sale background is well-reflected in the shop’s range of garments, decor, and wares. Find 1930s beach pajamas beside bowling shirts and Edwardian tunics at Fellows Vintage’s booth, or ’60s wedding dresses that seem more Factory Girl than bride-to-be from Iron Pony. The hunt continues at Mother Lode’s sister location in college town Athens, which opened in 2023.
Address: 3429 Covington Hwy Ste B, Decatur
Monet Brewerton-Palmer first got her love for bridal from her grandmother, who was a shop seamstress. Then, after shopping for her own wedding dress in 2014 and ending up with four, her interest (and personal collection) only grew. Now, Brewerton-Palmer offers brides an array of dresses by Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Catherine Rayner, and more. Standout pieces include a 1959 one-of-one from Jacques Heim, a silk rose-covered Christian Dior for the romantic, and a fur-accented Muriel Martin for the nontraditionalist.
Atlanta, GA
Former Atlanta principal back at his old school as its new handyman:
Retirement did not last long for one Atlanta school principal.
After 10 years leading Burgess Peterson Academy, David White is back, and this time he’s making sure everything inside the school’s building runs smoothly.
White retired last September from being the school’s principal, but home didn’t suit him for long.
“I found myself really kind of lonely and disconnected,” White said. “I had lost my sense of community, for sure, so when this position became available, I kind of laughed because I used to say that it would be the perfect retirement job.”
White applied for the open site manager position and got the job. Now he enjoys being back in the same halls that bring him joy.
He is six weeks into the new job.
“I find myself now always looking to see if there are lights that are burned out, if there are issues that need to be addressed,” said White. “There’s always the need for touch-up painting, right? Because kids have dirty little hands, and they love to pick paint.”
During CBS News Atlanta’s visit, White was repairing a broken lightbulb in the boy’s bathroom.
“The light started flickering, like, just blinking off and on, and so of course the kids were saying it was haunted,” he said.
Around the school, his impact hasn’t faded.
Students and staff light up when they see him.
“It’s been really great to see their excitement to be here every day and to see Mr. White,” said principal Dr. Holly Brookins. “I really feel that having him back has added so much value to our community, and it’s really been a joyful thing for all of us.”
With a tool belt and new titles, White proves that no matter the role, some people never stop showing up for the places they love.
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