Criminal Defense Attorney inWest Ashley, SC

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — New details are emerging on a deadly fire that ripped through a West Ashley apartment complex, killing one person and leaving more than 20 neighbors displaced.

The Charleston County coroner identified the victim as 57-year-old Rachel Fitzpatrick. News 4 is also learning about the neighbors who are now picking up the pieces, and how the Red Cross and the community are stepping up to help.

This donation drive started at 4 p.m. Monday and continued to 7 p.m. They are collecting gift cards and immediate personal care items for the victims of the fire. One resident, Megan Vettraino, moved here from Wisconsin just a couple of months ago to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher. Now, she's left with nothing. Despite the setback, she remains upbeat.

"It's insane how not a single thing is left," she said. "We got hit, rear-ended by this drunk driver, went into a ditch, and we were on the site for probably like three hours."

That's when she got another call she'll never forget.

"I'm sitting in the cop's car, and I get the call asking if I'm home at my apartment," she recalled. "I was like, 'No, why? What's going on?' They told me that it was on fire."

Looking over the damage, she points out how some of her furniture can still be seen.

"My couch was right along the far back wall," she noted. "You can actually still see my TV. Part of it is still hanging on behind the fireplace here."

She's thankful for her new community, even amid the disaster.

"I have loved living here," she said. "It's just very surreal to see all the memories that I've made in the last month, and then be here looking at what's left of it."

Neighbor Karla Gill says the Middleton Cove Apartment residents are like a family.

"There's a very strong community in these apartments," Gill said. "Even if we don't know each other's name, we will always watch for the other one."

Strangely, Vettraino believes the accident earlier in the night may have saved her life.

"If the accident didn't happen, I would've been sound asleep," she said. "So as awful as the accident was, I think in some way it did save my life."

Now, as she embarks on her new life as a teacher, she's thankful.

"I am very grateful for all the memories I did have in that apartment," she said. "And I know there will be many more to come in a new apartment. God always has a plan in place. Everything is going to work out, even. Charleston, this whole community is so amazing."

A GoFundMe for Megan Vettraino has been organized. Other residents have also set up GoFundMe pages to support their rebuild. To donate to Heather and her family, click here. A link to Isaac Camp's GoFundMe is available here. And a link to Destiny Chandler can be found here.

The nighborhood gem features fine-dining fare and weekly brunch specials

The Lick

For years, the best tables in town sat on the far side of the river, and West Ashley made the drive. The Lick, a small, handsome room that slipped into the old YoBo Cantina space in the South Windermere Center this winter, was created to end the commute. As an inviting neighborhood spot, it largely earns its keep. It’s less destination dining than local gem—a romantic little haunt long missing from this part of town.

Owner Christopher Betros built the room to reward lingering: low leather seating, mirrored walls, and a bar that draws focus the moment you step in. His chef, Chris Johnston, arrives by way of kitchens in Chicago, Baltimore, and points between, and the menu reaches high. A long roster of dry-aged and Wagyu cuts aims squarely at the fine-dining tier, yet some of the menu’s most satisfying dishes are lower on the page.

Start with the deviled eggs, rich with jalapeño and a swipe of bacon jam. They pair perfectly with the burger, a juicy house blend topped with American cheese and a tangy sauce; the accompanying tumble of beef tallow fries nearly upstages it. But the kitchen’s quiet triumph is the risotto: spring peas and wild mushrooms folded into a creamy base, lifted by tomato confit and a bright spring onion vinaigrette.

The small bar slings a bevy of accomplished cocktails. The Negroni lands with textbook bittersweet balance. An afternoon perch at the rail with a drink and a few friends is the place at its best.

Word has gotten out: reservations disappear quickly, and Sunday brunch and weekly specials have joined the mix. The Lick won’t dethrone the peninsula’s best, but it doesn’t need to. Old Windermere finally has a place worth staying home for.

10 Windermere Blvd. (843) 974-3462 www.thelickchs.com Dinner nightly; lunch on Friday & Saturday; brunch on Sunday