A normally quiet stretch of west Houston was choked with smoke Saturday afternoon when a multi-story apartment building erupted in flames, sending thick plumes drifting across nearby streets as emergency crews converged on the scene.
What We Know
According to ABC13, the Houston Police Department reported that the fire began on the third floor of the complex, then pushed down to the second floor. The blaze was first called in near the intersection of Briar Forest Drive and Tanglewilde Street on Saturday afternoon, and early information from authorities indicated there were no injuries or deaths.
What Officials Are Saying
The Houston Fire Department is using incidents like this as a reminder that working smoke alarms and a practiced escape plan are the first line of defense for people living in apartments. The department runs a "Get Alarmed Houston!" program that provides smoke detectors to qualifying households. For safety tips and details on how the program works, residents can visit the public education pages at the Houston Fire Department.
How This Fits A Pattern
This fire is the latest notable multiunit blaze to hit the city this year, coming after a March two-alarm apartment fire in west Houston that damaged about 14 units and sent a firefighter to the hospital, according to FOX 26 Houston. Arson investigators routinely review large apartment fires, and officials have not yet released a cause for Saturday's incident.
An Eyewitness News camera crew was on the way to the scene, ABC13 reported, and authorities said they plan to share more details as they become available.
