Apartment Complex Fire Started by Children Playing With Lighter
(Staff Photo By Herb Nygren Jr.)
Resident Debbie Smith, center, is consoled by Alex Green, left, and sister Janice York at a fire at Oxford Pointe Apartments Friday morning. The fire started on southwest side of the building. The building, with 16 apartments, is considered a total loss.
By CINDY MALLETTE
Staff Writer
Tyler Fire Department investigators say four children playing with a lighter early Friday morning started a blaze that destroyed a 16-apartment unit at the Oxford Pointe Apartments, located just past Loop 323 on State Highway 31 East.
Staff Writer
Tyler Fire Department investigators say four children playing with a lighter early Friday morning started a blaze that destroyed a 16-apartment unit at the Oxford Pointe Apartments, located just past Loop 323 on State Highway 31 East.
Tyler Fire Investigator Jeff Tucker said the blaze started around 10:45 a.m. and by noon, fire trucks were still putting out hot spots. The entire roof of the Unit 1 apartment building had collapsed, as well as parts of the northern and southern facing walls. By 12:30 p.m., the building was reduced to a shell.
“I would say that it is a complete loss,” Tucker said.
Groups of residents huddled under trees, hugging and crying as they watched their homes burn. Debbie Smith clung to her 15-year-old daughter, Tambrika, who had to jump from a second-story balcony to escape the fire. Janice York, Ms. Smith’s sister, said the two of them moved into the complex only two weeks ago, trying to start over with their lives.
“They’re devastated,” she said. “They’ve lost everything. Now, she has to start over again. But thank the Lord they’re here! We can replace stuff, but we can’t replace them.”
|
Tambrika’s wasn’t the only narrow escape. Maria and Jose Ortiz were frantic to get their three young daughters out of their second-story apartment. Because the fire was so intense, Mrs. Ortiz said she had to drop her 7-week-old daughter Sarah from the balcony into the waiting arms of two men below.
“She’s fine,” Mr. Ortiz said. “We had the EMT look at her, and they said she’s OK. Maybe a little bit of smoke inhalation, but she will be OK.”
Many of the families stood around, stunned, all of them saying the same thing:
“We’ve lost everything.”
Tucker said no one will be allowed to collect any personal items from the apartment building, because the structure is too unstable. He said the burned structure will have to be stabilized before the fire department will be able to complete its investigation.
An eight-year-old actually struck the lighter and accidentally set some bedding on fire in a second-story apartment, on the southwest corner, Tucker said. The fire spread through the attic and down to the first floor.
“It was an older structure, and there weren’t any firewalls in the attic,” he said. “The fire moved pretty quickly through there.”
All of the other Oxford Pointe Apartment units were evacuated as a precaution, and Tucker said no other building suffered damage.
The fire took seven fire trucks and more than 24 firefighters to control. EMS crews were on hand with the Red Cross, handing out bottles of water and Gatorade for the firefighters, who took turns manning two hoses while others rested in the shade.
“Obviously in this heat, it’s very grueling for the firefighters,” Tucker said.
No firefighters suffered any injuries in the blaze, and all of the residents have been safely accounted for, he said.
Updated Friday, July 18, 2008 at 5:13 p.m. CDT
“We’ve lost everything.”
Tucker said no one will be allowed to collect any personal items from the apartment building, because the structure is too unstable. He said the burned structure will have to be stabilized before the fire department will be able to complete its investigation.
An eight-year-old actually struck the lighter and accidentally set some bedding on fire in a second-story apartment, on the southwest corner, Tucker said. The fire spread through the attic and down to the first floor.
“It was an older structure, and there weren’t any firewalls in the attic,” he said. “The fire moved pretty quickly through there.”
All of the other Oxford Pointe Apartment units were evacuated as a precaution, and Tucker said no other building suffered damage.
The fire took seven fire trucks and more than 24 firefighters to control. EMS crews were on hand with the Red Cross, handing out bottles of water and Gatorade for the firefighters, who took turns manning two hoses while others rested in the shade.
“Obviously in this heat, it’s very grueling for the firefighters,” Tucker said.
No firefighters suffered any injuries in the blaze, and all of the residents have been safely accounted for, he said.
Updated Friday, July 18, 2008 at 5:13 p.m. CDT
FAQ
Search Forums
Log in
Register
