Photos: Firefighters from eight companies battled a major blaze that destroyed an apartment building and day care center in Georgetown.

Another major fire in Sussex County seriously damaged an apartment building on Depot Street in Georgetown on Monday, March 11, 2002.

Coming on the heels of a brush fire that consumed hundreds of acres of marsh in Slaughter Beach on Sunday, March 10, Monday's fire destroyed five residences in the Crestwood Gardens Apartments, a two-story brick building in Georgetown.

In addition, eight other apartments were damaged by water and heat as more than 30 families were displaced.

No injuries were reported, but it took more than a half-dozen local fire companies more than two hours to bring the blaze under control before hundreds of onlookers on Race and Depot streets.

Damage was estimated at $300,000. About 20 of those families were able to return on Tuesday, March 12. The remaining families will probably be out of their apartments for two to three months while the landlords repairs them.

The state fire marshall's office said it is continuing to investigate the cause of the fire.

Firefighters extinguished the flames quickly but then had to battle through mountainous, billowing clouds of smoke for nearly two hours.

Included among the responding fire companies were Georgetown, Bridgeville, Laurel, Milford, Milton, and Millsboro.

Contributions for those displaced from their homes can be made at the Wesley United Methodist Church at 102 E. Laurel St. in Georgetown. The church's phone number is 856-6245.

In Sunday's fire, 26 fire companies joined the battle to fight a fire that burned almost four square miles of the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge.The fire started just south of Slaughter Neck Road at approximately 1:30 p.m. and wasn't brought under control until 11:35 p.m.

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