Four-alarm Irving apartment fire leaves 120 homeless

By Cynthia Vega at WFAA News, Dallas Fort Worth
See photos here.
A fast-moving four-alarm fire damaged at least two dozen units at The Heights apartment complex in Irving late Wednesday night. The first firefighters to arrive shortly before 11 p.m. immediately called a second alarm in after they observed heavy flames coming from the attic area of the two-story building.

Just a few minutes later — working in temperatures above 90 degrees — a third alarm was issued as the roof began caving in and officials called for precautionary evacuations of surrounding buildings. Efforts to battle the blaze may have been hampered by gusty winds and a water main break.

Resident Sandra Orosco said firefighters took too long to arrive and too long to put out the fire. “Very tragic, especially to all the kids, because at that moment everybody was going crazy,” she said. “It was all chaos because we didn’t know what was going on; the kids were scared.”

Paramedics removed at least one woman on a stretcher and seven others drove themselves to local hospitals complaining of smoke inhalation.

No serious injuries were reported, but the fire displaced 80 tenants and another 40 in a nearby building were forced to leave because their power and water supplies were cut off.

The American Red Cross was at the scene to provide assistance to those in need, including food, clothing, temporary shelter and financial assistance.