LAUREL, Del. - Workers are busy this week clearing the site of a devastating apartment building fire in Sussex County. What's left of the building, that was home to many families, is almost gone. Community members are heartbroken to see people's homes now turned into dust.
Construction workers were picking up what's left of the Rigbie Gardens apartment building in Laurel and loading all of it into dumpsters. Parts of its foundation still stands but is getting hammered down.
The late January fire caused the building to collapse and displaced dozens of people.
Kim Littleton owns a shop down the street and provided food and clothing to the victims. She's sad to see it go.
“It’s been a place for years and years. It was 125 years old I believe. It's been around a long time. It was a very popular place for a lot of things over the years. However, it's sad the people lost their homes but they are living better now. They are new homes and apartments,” says Littleton.
Daniel Phillipson is a bus driver at the Laurel Senior Center. He worked with the kids who lived at the apartment and says he'll miss seeing their faces.
“I'm very thankful all the families involved have been housed and I actually was a bus driver at a certain time for some of the kids that lived there. I'm super thankful that the kids are safe and the families have been taken care of,” Phillipson.
A construction worker tells WBOC they expect to have everything cleared away by the end of the week.
It's still unclear what will occupy the space next. Many are hoping to see more retail or another apartment building.