SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Patricia Machland and Anna Sommer thought moving-in day was still months away.
"Feels awesome," said Sommer.
The roommates on Monday afternoon were moving back in to their place on the second floor of the Missouri Hotel.
On a frigid night in January, a fire broke out on their floor. Fathers, mothers, and children scrambled out of the burning landmark; the fire displaced 185 people.
There was so much damage that residents had to move into two temporary shelters.
"I was down in the basement sharing a room with 10 or 12 different women with one shower and two bathrooms," said Sommer
People started moving back in on some of the other floors just 11 days after the fire. Officials thought it would take months before all the residents could return. Thanks to a community outpouring of help, though, the last group of 28 people moved back in exactly one month after the fire.
Although firefighters said they'll never know for sure what caused the fire, they believe it was electrical in nature or a discarded cigarette.
"Feels awesome," said Sommer.
The roommates on Monday afternoon were moving back in to their place on the second floor of the Missouri Hotel.
On a frigid night in January, a fire broke out on their floor. Fathers, mothers, and children scrambled out of the burning landmark; the fire displaced 185 people.
There was so much damage that residents had to move into two temporary shelters.
"I was down in the basement sharing a room with 10 or 12 different women with one shower and two bathrooms," said Sommer
People started moving back in on some of the other floors just 11 days after the fire. Officials thought it would take months before all the residents could return. Thanks to a community outpouring of help, though, the last group of 28 people moved back in exactly one month after the fire.
Although firefighters said they'll never know for sure what caused the fire, they believe it was electrical in nature or a discarded cigarette.
