A lightning strike about midnight at Birchwood Harbor Apartments triggered a fire that burned one unit beyond repair and displaced roughly 21 residents from six units, city officials said at the Hot Springs Board of Directors meeting. Christian Wallace, a Birchwood Harbor resident, is credited with waking neighbors and helping them evacuate.

City Director George Webb said the lightning struck ‘‘at about midnight last Tuesday, causing one entire apartment unit to be burned beyond repair’’ and that ‘‘about 21 residents who live in those six units’’ were displaced. Webb said the Community Resource Center, working with landowners and the city manager’s office, arranged temporary housing options for displaced residents.

Why it matters: Dozens of residents lost housing and some require ongoing medical care; the incident prompted an immediate local relief response and raised questions about building safety features.

City officials and neighbors described the sequence and response. At the meeting, Webb told the board that a resident’s quick reaction saved lives: ‘‘His quick thinking to call 911 … and his also quick thinking to go check on those in this unit is what saved many people’s lives that night.’’ Christian Wallace told the board he saw flames from his balcony, knocked on windows and doors, and urged his wife to call 911. ‘‘By the time I said that, I’d gone inside, thrown on my shoes, and another buddy of mine had thrown on the shoes, and we both ran over there, and we tried to do what we could,’’ Wallace said.

Wallace also told the board he did not reach the third floor as an earlier news report suggested: ‘‘We did not. Those people had already made it out,’’ he said. Wallace and others at the meeting noted the apartment complex lacked working sprinkler systems and smoke alarms; Wallace said he observed that units ‘‘didn’t have any sprinkler systems. They didn’t have fire alarms. They didn’t have any smoke alarms. And … fire extinguishers were way out of date.’’

Director Webb asked residents affected to contact his office or the Community Resource Center for help; he thanked the city manager and the center’s staff by name for arranging temporary placements. Webb reported that at least two people suffered second- and third-degree burns and were undergoing medical treatment.

The Hot Springs Fire Department and other first responders also handled a near-simultaneous lightning-caused structure fire in the Creekview area, Webb said, stretching emergency resources that night. Chief Ed Davis earlier in the meeting had recognized department members for service; Webb thanked the fire department at the board meeting for responding to both incidents.

Discussion vs. decision: The board’s remarks and the testimony were informational and focused on relief and thanks; no formal policy or emergency ordinance was proposed or adopted at the meeting.

Ending: Webb urged continued community support and prayers for affected families and reminded residents that assistance is available through the Community Resource Center and the mayor’s office.