About two dozen families were left homeless Thursday by apartment complex fires in Cary and Durham.
No injuries were reported in either fire.
Eight units in the Westover Hills Apartments complex, off Cary Parkway, were destroyed by a blaze that started at about 3:30 a.m. Thursday. The fire started on a second-floor balcony, but authorities haven't determined the cause.
"I heard the firemen banging on the apartment door next door," resident Slade Jackson said. "There was no time to get anything. (You) run, basically."
A puppy was credited with waking its owner, who then awakened several other residents.
Nicole and Christopher Pierce said they were happy to escape with her wedding dress, some photos and his Carolina Panthers jersey.
"I'm just glad no one got hurt or died. The main thing is that everyone's safe. It could be worse," Christopher Pierce said.
The second fire began at about 4:30 p.m. at the Innsbruck Apartments complex off Fayetteville Road near the Streets at Southpoint mall.
Sixteen units in two buildings were gutted, and a third building sustained smoke damage, authorities said. Durham firefighters planned to spend the night at the scene to ensure the blaze didn't flare up again in the wooded area.
The Red Cross was helping the victims of both fires.
"In most cases, they've lost everything," said Pat Leroy, of the Red Cross. "So, the volunteers interview the families to determine the depth and breadth of the situation, and then we provide for them -- financial aid for emergency food, clothing and, in some cases, shelter."
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