Early morning on January 22, a fire broke out in a multifamily dwelling claiming an estimated $115,000 in damages. The incident unfolded at Helmers St. at Apache St. in the Northside/Northline area. According to the City of Houston, the blaze began around 6:51 a.m. and was quickly met with an offensive assault by firefighters, who searched the building and confirmed that all residents had managed to safely evacuate. One civilian was treated on the scene for smoke inhalation.
The firefighters, numbering 50 from Stations 30, 15, 31, 34, and 58, worked to quickly to contain the fire, which appeared to have started in a storage space housing an electrical panel. A statement obtained by the City of Houston Incident Update detailed that CenterPoint was called to the scene to secure some live wires found near the building, adding a layer of complexity to the firefighters' efforts.
Injuries were fortunately minimal. Only one civilian required treatment at the scene for smoke inhalation, with no other casualties or injuries reported. The collective efforts of the first responders undoubtedly played a major role in this positive outcome. The cause of the fire has been attributed to an equipment or heat source failure, specifically electrical.
