Fire forces Troy family out of apartment

Flames forced a Troy family out of their apartment and destroyed several thousand dollars worth of equipment the family uses to support themselves Sunday afternoon.

Ashley Cramer, 24, put her 5-month-old and 2-year-old daughters in bed for a nap at about 1 p.m. in their unit at the Tradition Apartments on Stanfield Road when she smelled something burning.  Cramer checked a pot of tea boiling on the kitchen stove, but quickly realized the problem was in the clothes dryer.

When Cramer opened the dryer door, flames broke out and quickly spread across the room.  Cramer woke her sleeping daughters and evacuated the building before anyone was injured.

Some of the Cramers' possessions, including several thousand dollars of filmmaking gear, was destroyed by the flames.  The Red Cross was called to the scene to assist the Cramers.

"We're usually the ones donating to the Red Cross," Cramer said.  "Now, we're the ones relying on them."

The Troy Fire Department handled the response.