Fire at Downtown Roanoke's Patrick Henry building

6:00 p.m.

Roanoke City Fire-EMS crews were called to The Patrick Henry Apartments at 12:47 p.m. Thursday afternoon, after an air conditioning unit caught fire on the roof.

"It was definitely a sound I have never heard before," said Patrick Henry resident Dan Mock, who lives on the tenth floor of the building.

"When we left the station, we saw flames and smoke coming from the roof.  We got here, and it was pretty heavily involved up there," said Roanoke Fire Chief David Hoback.

50 people and all 132 apartments were evacuated, with the fire chief saying it is a good thing this happened in the middle of the day, because fewer people were in the building.

"I grabbed whatever I could to get out, and went into the hallway and there was smoke. I found the nearest exit and got out, and we were surrounded by fire trucks," said Mock.

Roanoke Fire-EMS says five fire engines and three ladder trucks rolled to the fire.

The Patrick Henry apartments opened just three weeks ago on July 8th.  And for almost a year, the building has been under a $20 million renovation.

"This brand new thing that Roanoke has really gotten behind, is now going through something bad," said Mock.

"My heart sank.  It really did.  It is such a beautiful building," said Hoback.

The Fire Marshal's office did not find any structural damage from the fire, but there is water damage on the tenth floor.

Also, because the fire started in an air conditioning unit, there was smoke all the way from the tenth floor down to the fourth.

The Fire Marshal estimates damages at $60,000.

Chief Hoback also tells WSLS nobody had to go to the hospital for injuries or smoke inhilation.

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5:40 p.m.

From Meagan Farley, WSLS at 7 p.m. anchor in the field

Investigators tell me a building worker found the fire, and pulled the fire alarm.

Two people live in apartments that suffered heavy water damage, and have not been let back in yet.  Building staff hope to allow them back in some on Friday or Saturday.

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5:00 p.m.

From Meagan Farley, WSLS at 7 p.m. anchor in the field

All but two tenants have been allowed back into the building.

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1:40 p.m.

From Meagan Farley, WSLS at 7 p.m. anchor in the field

The Fire Marshal says an air handling unit on the roof of the building blew.  That caused smoke to get sucked into apartments.

The Fire Marshal estimates heavy smoke and water damage, but has not found signs of structural damage as of yet.

Firefighters are not certain when people who have recently moved into apartments in the building can go back inside.

I'm checking with building management about the possibility of partial rent refunds.

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1:16 p.m.

By WSLS News Staff

Roanoke Fire-EMS spokeswoman Tiffany Bradbury tells WSLS that the fire is out, but there is still smoke in the Patrick Henry building.

Bradbury says the E-911 center got the call about the fire around 12:45 p.m.

Firefighters are asking drivers and walkers to avoid the area around the building, due to roads being blocked.  Jefferson Street is the main road to be avoided.

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1:07 p.m.

From Meagan Farley, WSLS at 7 p.m. anchor in the field

The smoke has stopped coming from near the roof of the Patrick Henry building.

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12:57 p.m.

From Meagan Farley, WSLS at 7 p.m. anchor in the field

Black smoke can be seen coming from near the top of the Patrick Henry building in Downtown Roanoke.

I'm working to get more information.  Stay with wsls.com for updates.