Three-Alarm Fire Destroys 30-Unit Morrisville Apartment Building; 70 Displaced, Six Injured

A three-alarm blaze tore through a 30-unit building at Camden Westwood Apartments, 2100 Summit Ridge Loop in Morrisville late Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, forcing roughly 70 residents from their homes and injuring six people, town officials said. The fire was reported about 6:15 p.m., and firefighters arrived to find heavy fire on the third-floor of the building, with ABC11 reporting the entire third-floor in flames when crews reached the scene.

Morrisville responded with ladder trucks and a three-alarm deployment that included mutual aid from Apex and Cary fire departments as crews worked to contain the fast-moving fire. ABC11 reported the blaze "appeared to be largely contained shortly before 8 p.m.," while WUNC said crews remained on scene overnight to extinguish hotspots and begin an investigation.

Town of Morrisville spokesperson Erin Hudson said five people were treated at the scene for smoke-related injuries and a sixth person was taken to UNC Hospitals for burns. "Five people were treated for smoke-related injuries... A sixth person was taken to UNC Hospitals for burns. The condition of that victim was not immediately known," Hudson told reporters. Morrisville officials also said there were sprinklers in the building, though investigators have not released details on whether the system activated or how it affected the fire's spread.

About 70 people who lived in the impacted building are now displaced, with the American Red Cross assessing needs for more than 70 residents and coordinating aid. Hudson said all displaced residents were temporarily staging in the complex leasing office. WUNC reported NeighborUp and the property management company joined the Red Cross in assisting residents, and the management office sent a late Tuesday night text asking witnesses to contact investigators and announcing donations would be accepted at the leasing office starting the following day. The text read, "We will meet with residents to learn about their immediate needs and share this list, as we will be accepting donations in our office starting tomorrow," and added, "Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this fire." The Red Cross assistance line is (800) RED-CROSS.

Investigators from the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Wake County Fire Marshal and the Morrisville Fire Marshal were on scene to determine the cause, which remains unknown. "The cause of the fire is not yet known. The Office of the State Fire Marshal, Wake County Fire Marshal, and Morrisville Fire Marshal are on location and investigating to determine the cause," officials said.

Camden Westwood is a larger complex of at least 16 buildings located just off Chapel Hill Road near Park West Village shopping center. ABC11 noted the complex has had prior fires, including incidents in March 2019 that displaced 35 people and a 2009 blaze that displaced about 50 residents. A resident quoted in the earlier coverage, Mark Milligan, described escaping dense smoke in a past event: "My grandma ran out of the building, and I was trying to find my wallet. My keys couldn't do it. And by the time I was out in the hallway, the smoke was already in the hallway, in the stairwell... By the time we were both out, it was billowing out."

Fire officials continue on scene and have not released a timeline for when investigators will provide preliminary findings. Authorities ask anyone with information about how the fire started to contact investigators through channels coordinated by the Morrisville Fire Marshal.