What we know about the Colonial Square fire
A fire broke out shortly after midnight Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at Colonial Square Apartments on Old Hapeville Road SW. Firefighters found heavy fire on the second floor and in the attic of an end unit. At least four units were destroyed, and crews protected the units next to them. No injuries were reported, and the cause is still under investigation (WSB-TV).
A mother of four told reporters that her neighbor pounded on doors to wake families as the fire spread. Six apartments were damaged, and the Red Cross is helping about 20 displaced residents (CBS News Atlanta; CBS News Atlanta).
One fire, three different claims
When an apartment building burns, people tend to think there's one insurance claim. There are usually at least three, and they run on different policies.
01 Renters in the units that burned
Your renters policy (HO-4) covers your personal property under Coverage C and your extra living costs under Coverage D. The landlord's policy doesn't pay for your belongings, even though the fire started in their building.
Where it gets underpaid: contents. Most people can't list everything they owned from memory, so they claim a fraction of it. And carriers often pay depreciated value first, holding back the rest until you show receipts for what you've replaced.
Contents inventory decides this claim02 Renters next door with smoke and water damage
Units that never caught fire still take smoke, soot, and firefighting water through shared walls, attics, and ceilings. Clothing, mattresses, upholstered furniture, and electronics often can't be saved.
Where it gets underpaid: these renters often don't file at all because their unit "didn't burn." Smoke and water damage from a covered fire is a covered loss on a renters policy.
You may have a claim even if your unit didn't burn03 The property owner
The owner's commercial or dwelling policy covers the building itself, debris removal, code upgrades, and, if they carry it, lost rental income while the units are rebuilt.
Where it gets underpaid: smoke damage in adjoining units, attic and roof framing, code-upgrade costs on an older building, and the length of the lost-rent period.
Lost rent depends on a realistic rebuild timelineWhat to do this week if you were displaced
- Find your renters policy. Check your email, your lease paperwork, or your bank statements for a monthly premium. Many leases require renters insurance, so you may have it even if you forgot.
- Report the claim and get a claim number in writing. Report the date, the address, and that you're displaced. Don't accept a quick settlement on the phone.
- Save every receipt from the night of the fire forward. Hotel, meals, clothes, toiletries, phone chargers, gas, laundry, pet boarding. That's your Coverage D claim.
- Photograph everything before it's thrown out. If management lets you back in, video every room and every closet, and narrate as you go.
- Start the contents list now, one room at a time. Use old photos, online order history, and bank statements to jog your memory.
- Ask management for the fire report number and keep the Red Cross case paperwork. Both help document the loss.
Free claim review for Colonial Square residents and owners
If you were displaced by the Old Hapeville Road fire, or your unit took smoke or water damage, a Georgia public adjuster can tell you in 15 minutes whether your claim is being handled right. No fee unless the carrier pays.
Frequently asked questions
My apartment was damaged in the fire. Does the landlord's insurance cover my belongings?
No. The building owner's policy covers the building and the owner's property. Your furniture, clothes, electronics, and other belongings are covered only by your own renters policy, usually called an HO-4. If you have renters insurance, Coverage C pays for your belongings and Coverage D pays for temporary housing while you can't live in the unit.
My unit didn't burn, but it smells like smoke and the ceiling got wet. Do I have a claim?
Very possibly. Smoke and firefighting water often damage units next to the one that burned. Under a renters policy, smoke-damaged clothing, furniture, mattresses, and electronics can be covered even when your unit never caught fire. Photograph everything before you clean it or throw it out.
Will renters insurance pay for a hotel?
If you can't live in your unit because of a covered fire, Coverage D (loss of use) usually pays the extra cost of living somewhere else, plus higher food costs and similar expenses. Keep every receipt. The Red Cross helps in the first few days, but your policy is what covers the weeks after that.
Can a public adjuster help a renter, or only homeowners?
Both. A licensed Georgia public adjuster can represent a renter on an HO-4 claim and can represent the building owner on the property claim. On a renters claim, most of the work is building a complete contents inventory, pricing it at replacement cost, and making sure loss-of-use expenses are paid.
The bottom line
An apartment fire leaves renters with the hardest version of a claim: no house to rebuild, just a life's worth of belongings to prove and a hotel bill that keeps growing. The building owner's insurance won't cover any of that. Your renters policy will, if the inventory is complete and the loss-of-use costs are documented from day one.
The fire is out. Start the list tonight.