Several families displaced after fire rips through Southwest Side living complex

SAN ANTONIO – At least three families were displaced from their homes after a fire ripped through a multifamily living complex on the Southwest Side.

The eight-unit complex in the 5500 block of Little Creek Driver was completely engulfed in flames Saturday afternoon.

“My little brother was actually in the house when the house was catching on fire. The officer helped him outside the house,” said Angel Caballero, a resident of the complex. “The inside of our house, all of the insulation, everything fell down. We can’t stay here, and all of these people are not going to be able to stay at their house.”

Some families had their living rooms or bedrooms burned, while others lost everything.

“About 10 seconds into the game, I had looked back because I had heard a small explosion and I heard the flames getting bigger,” said Angel Lara, who was playing basketball nearby when the fire tore through several units and damaged two vehicles. “At first, I was really scared. I had got chills on my skin. I didn't who was in the house. My first immediate reaction was get everyone out to safety.”

Lara ran toward the flames to help anyone in the complex get out.

“(A neighbor) had grabbed one little girl, I had grabbed another little girl and we took them to safety,” Lara said. “After that, I had run to the other right-hand side (and) knocked on that house.”

Arson investigators are looking into what caused the blaze.

Caballero and the rest of the families said they are still trying to figure out what to do next now that their homes are destroyed.