EASLEY - Firefighters battled a three-story blaze at the Auston Woods apartment complex at about 2:30 p.m. today.

A 911 call alerted authorities to flames and smoke coming from a center building in the complex which is the newest multi-apartment center constructed in Easley.

About 10 apartments are affected in all, with three of four suffering severe fire damage, said Easley Fire Chief Butch Womack.

One resident said she’d only just moved in a month earlier and hadn’t even moved her washer and dryer out of the hallway yet.

“I just bought all new furniture,” she said. She said she borrowed a cell phone to call her daughter because she’d rushed out of the house when she smelled smoke, leaving her phone on the bed. “I can’t think straight.”

Another resident, Kara Smith, was at home with her two children at the time the fire broke out.

“Shock, that’s it,” said Kara Smith, adding that she’s lived in the building since it was completed in June.

Husband and wife duo Regina and Brad Robinson, came to check on the apartment belonging to Brad’s sister. While her building was not affected by the fire, they stuck around.

“She won’t know until 7,” Brad said, adding that she’ll probably take it “pretty hard.”

“She probably knew some of the people over there,” Regina said.

Chief Womack said the cause of the fire is under investigation by the Cause and Origin Team as well as the Easley Fire Department.

“It appears to have begun on the second level, above the bricks,” Womack said.

No people needed rescue to escape the fire, he said.

“Initially, we believed that one individual was unable to get out due to physical fitness, but a search of the apartments revealed that no one needed help getting out,” Womack said.

No injuries were reported and Womack said that two pets were saved from the fire.

Firefighters from departments in Dacusville, Liberty and Pickens assisted in putting out the blaze.

“There’s 50 to 55,” said Tommy Holcombe, building official for the city and volunteer firefighter.

All residents displaced by fire were encouraged to take refuge in the complex club house where the Pickens County Chapter of the American Red Cross had set up a temporary headquarters.

Chick-fil-A of Easley donated dinner and coffee for the victims and all the crews working on the fire, said chapter Executive Director Sarah Dow.

Reach Ginny Johnson at 855-0355 or gjohnson@theeasleyprogress.com.