A three-alarm fire tore through a three-story condominium building in Northeast Dallas early today, destroying at least 24 units and forcing more than 40 residents out into the night. Flames were visible pouring from the roof as people escaped down smoke-filled stairwells, and fire crews stayed on scene for hours to beat back the blaze. Officials reported no injuries, but many tenants are now scrambling for emergency housing and trying to replace what they lost.
DFR Mobilized Multiple Alarms And Crews
Dallas Fire-Rescue said crews were called around 1:00 a.m. and arrived to find heavy fire showing from the roof of a three-story condo building at 11490 Audelia Road. Attack teams moved in and the department quickly upgraded to a second alarm, then a third, with about 60 firefighters working the scene. At least 24 condos were destroyed and more than 40 people displaced, and officials reported no injuries, according to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth.
"I had to drop to my knees and crawl down three flights of stairs," one resident said, later telling NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth that when they looked back, their condo was gone. Neighbors gathered in the complex parking lot to compare notes and try to salvage wet belongings while property managers began taking stock of the damage.
Audelia Road's Fire History
Fires at multiunit buildings along Audelia Road are not new. A four-alarm blaze at the Cambridge Park Condominiums in late 2018 destroyed a building and displaced dozens, and three firefighters were briefly trapped before being rescued, The Dallas Morning News reported. That incident underscored how quickly fires can spread in older three-story wood-frame complexes and how challenging rescues can become.
What Comes Next
Officials have not released a cause for the fire, and investigators were expected to examine the scene as conditions allow. Displaced residents looking for immediate help can contact local disaster-relief partners such as the American Red Cross North Texas chapter, which provides shelter, clothing and emergency services for people affected by home fires, according to American Red Cross North Texas.
