SAN ANTONIO – A fire at a vacant home undergoing renovations spread to three nearby houses, displacing a total of five people early Thursday morning, according to the San Antonio Fire Department.
The fire was called in by neighbors just before 5:30 a.m. at a home in the 1200 block of Florida Street, not far from both South Pine Street and Iowa Street, just east of downtown.
Firefighters said when they arrived, they found flames coming from a home that was not occupied and undergoing renovations.
Fire officials said before they could put the fire out, the fire had already spread to three nearby homes. The house behind the original home was occupied by three people who all made it safely out, authorities said. Two people were also displaced at one of the other homes that caught fire.
Firefighters said a third house was a short-term rental AirBnB. The house has now a big hole in the wall as a result of the fire. The four people staying there have to find another place to stay.
The SAFD says the home where the fire originated and the one behind it are now a total loss. The other homes sustained significant damage.
The people in the home behind the one where the fire started included a woman, her mother and a baby girl. Their home was destroyed.
According to the San Antonio Fire Department website, as many as 24 units answered the call.
A fire investigation team has been called in to determine the exact cause of the fire. There is no word yet on what started the flames.