A fire that erupted on the exterior of a southeast Austin apartment building Friday evening was swiftly brought under control, according to officials. The Austin Fire Department reported receiving the call about the blaze at around 8:12 p.m., with firefighters arriving at the Bridge at Asher Apartments located at 10505 South I-35 frontage road. By approximately 8:36 p.m., the fire, which had begun in an exterior column and spread slightly into the wall, was extinguished without any reported injuries, as per Austin Fire Info's social media post.
Working fire 10505 S. I-35. Fire in exterior column of apartment building with slight extension into wall. Fire is under control. No reported injuries. pic.twitter.com/zlmKII86PG
— Austin Fire Info (@AustinFireInfo) October 12, 2024
While an investigation into the fire's cause is ongoing, fire officials have indicated that improperly discarded smoking material is likely to blame. Damage from the fire control efforts led to one person being displaced, however, they are being assisted by the management of the apartment complex, CBS Austin reported.
The coordinated response benefited from the Automatic Aid agreement, which saw crews from Austin, Travis County Fire Rescue, and Manchaca arrive swiftly on the scene to contain the fire to its origin. The collaboration between the departments proved crucial in preventing the spread of the blaze and minimizing potential damage.
Residents of the apartment complex and the wider community are reminded of the dangers posed by carelessly discarded smoking materials. To prevent similar incidents, individuals are urged to properly extinguish and dispose of such materials safely to avert the risk of fire.
