4 families left homeless after College Park apartment fire days before Christmas

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. - Four families have been displaced following an apartment fire in College Park just days before Christmas.

The fire marshal says investigators are trying to determine what caused the blaze that left two families with only the clothes on their backs.

"There was a lot of smoke on the roof. We came out and alerted all the neighbors that there was a fire," fire victim Juan Rivera told FOX 5's Aungelique Proctor through an interpreter.

He says he is grateful that he, his wife, children, and neighbors all escaped a fire at the Wellington Townhomes on West Fayetteville Road.

"We have lost everything. We have only what we have on and we are thankful that we are alive," the father of two said.

The Rivera family and 11 others all escaped the flames. The Red Cross is trying to help them recover some sense of normalcy with this type of fire just days before Christmas.

The chief says the working smoke detectors likely saved lives.

"I know that they did have working smoke alarms there and that likely saved lives," College Park Fire Chief Wade Elmore remarked.

Juan, who works construction off and on, says his 6-year-old daughter is struggling the most.

"My little girl is very sad and traumatized. She is saying all her clothes and dolls were burned, the fire victim revealed.

Anyone who would like to help the family with donations or toys, please reach out to the Red Cross.

The fire marshal is still trying to determine the cause of the fire.