RICHMOND, Va. -- A Richmond mother is stepping into action to help students at James Madison University, after an apartment complex went up in flames Thursday afternoon.
"First thing I thought, was my daughter and her friend's apartment who stays at Southview," said Gwendolyn Hunt.
Hurt eventually got a hold of her daughter, a sophomore at JMU, and found out she was safe from the fire.
The flames broke out at the Southview Apartments in the 1000 block of Lois Lane, according to the university's student newspaper, The Breeze.
The news spread quickly through social media as crews in Harrisonburg responded to the 5-alarm fire, which left no students injured.
"They may be students just in college but it's literally their life in those apartments, it's everything," said Hurt. "They've lost everything, its sad."
43 students were displaced from the fire, according to the Red Cross.
Hurt is stepping into action and delivering supplies in Harrisonburg this Saturday to help out.
"Soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, body wash. We'll start with that for now and hopefully get more on Saturday," she added.
Hurt said she is headed up to Massanutten for spring break with her family and plans to deliver the supplies while on the trip.
"A couple years ago the community helped me in a crisis and I have to give back. Especially if it's students or kids my daughters know," said Hurt. "Got to do what you got to do to give back, firm believer in karma."
A GoFundMe has been set up to help with the students displaced, you can donate here.
