Colorado Springs mom describes fire that burned her apartment in ‘the blink of an eye’

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- 25-year-old Marlissia Anderson is struggling with what comes next after a fire burned through her apartment Saturday evening.

The Colorado Springs Fire Department told KRDO they responded to the fire on Gahart Drive at 5:40 p.m. Saturday and that investigators determined the cause of the fire was accidental.

"I just broke down. I was devastated that everything in here that I worked for, everything in here that I spent my hard-earned money on was taken away from me within a blink of an eye," said Marlissia Anderson, who lives in one of the units destroyed.

Anderson said she was on her way home when she was fire trucks race past her. When she realized they were headed to her apartment, she said she immediately began to panic.

As fire crews worked, Anderson said she held on to hope that her unit would be okay, but when she went inside, she realized just how serious the damage was.

Anderson's kitchen cabinets and ceiling are completely destroyed, and her entire apartment is covered with a layer of ash.

Anderson said she and her three-year-old daughter are staying at Anderson's mom's house as they determine where they can move next. However, the destruction was costly and Anderson said she doesn't know what they'll be able to afford moving forward.

If you'd like to help Marlissia get back on her feet, you can donate at this verified fundraiser.