4-Alarm Dallas Apartment Fire Displaces Dozens
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Dozens of North Texans will be looking for a place to stay tonight after a 4-alarm fire at a Dallas apartment complex.
Crews from Dallas Fire Rescue were called to the Sequoia at Frankford Springs Apartments, in the 3700 block of Frankford Road, around 10 a.m. The fire continued to spread and soon reached 4-alarms.
Podcast
Anita Foster Live On KRLD
In all, some 60 people and 28 units were affected by a combination of smoke, water and flames. The exact number of residents displaced by the fire isn't known, since many are away for the Thanksgiving holiday.
North Texas Red Cross Spokesperson Anita Foster says many folks won't have much to come home to. "It looks like the number of destroyed units is probably going to be somewhere between six and 12 units," explained Foster. "But we've got the additional apartments that don't have electricity and we know it was really cold this morning, it's gonna be cold again tonight, so we have to look at those families at being in just a great of need as if their home had actually burned down."
No residents were injured, but one firefighter was taken to Parkland Hospital after being hit in the head by falling debris. His injury isn't considered serious.
Resident Craig Hauser had fed words to describe the charred mess that was once his home. "It's all wet, and I'm sure it stinks."
The American Red Cross is working to help families affected by the fire. "This is what you would call 'one unhappy holiday' for these folks because those [units] that burned down, especially where the fire was very intense, there is not gonna be anything for them to salvage."
Anyone wanting to help can make donations or be a part of a new electronic fundraiser at www.RedCross.org/gifts. "There you can purchase things for disaster victims, like blankets that we are literally using on the curb today," Foster said of the new campaign. "You can purchase comfort kits, that have toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs for your hair… those are all things that you can purchase and make that gift in honor of a loved one, for the holiday season. Use it to really save the day for someone who really needs it."
Friday afternoon investigators determined the fire was caused by a malfunctioning chimney flue on the third floor. A Dallas Fire Rescue report says embers from a starter log were able to get through the wall space and ignite combustible materials. The fire then spread rapidly into the attic of the building before impacting other units.
Hauser says all he could do was watch as it spread to his apartment. "Firefighters say when it reached the attic, it spread quickly, destroying all of the apartments on the third floor.
Hours after the fire was knocked, Travis Stevermer was allowed back into his apartment. "A lot of my stuff's pretty much here. I mean, it smells like smoke, but it got spared."
