A day after fire and smoke rip through 24 units at the Highland Square Apartments, residents are packing up what they can salvage and moving on.

An apartment manager says renters in one of the complex's two buildings are being forced to move after a maintenance worker accidentally ignited a fire while installing a water heater Monday afternoon.

Although fire damage was contained mostly to the walls of several second and third floor apartments, smoke and water heavily damaged all the others. Officials estimate repairs will cost $250,000.

Authorities expect repairs to the 24 effected apartments will last four to six months. Renters are getting assitance from Highland Square managers in finding new places to live. Because the complex requires renters to carry insurance, each victim should be able to replace items they were unable to salvage in the fire.