SAN ANTONIO – Several residents were displaced after a “heavy” fire at a North Side apartment complex, according to the San Antonio Fire Department.
The fire was reported just after 7:30 a.m. Sunday at the Blair at Bitters apartments located in the 400 block of West Bitters Road.
Upon arrival, SAFD spokesperson Joe Arrington told KSAT firefighters found heavy fire coming from the first and second floors of a building.
“They made an aggressive tack to try to get it out, but obviously, conditions had deteriorated so much that they had to go defensive,” Arrington said.
Crews were able to make a quick attack, got ladders in the air and firefighters fought the fire defensively, Arrington said.
At least half of the apartment building, which has about 12 units, is a total loss, Arrington said, and the other half can possibly be salvaged.
“(SAFD is) working with apartment management to obviously get those folks that are displaced to be able to find them a place to stay, whether it’s here on property or a sister property, Arrington said. ”The Red Cross is on standby if we need them to get out here."
Residents told KSAT they woke up to firefighters outside their door.
“It actually sounded like the storm was rolling and it sounded like the thunderstorm, and next thing you know someone’s banging on my door,” one neighbor said. “I didn’t hear a thing, and then when I finally did hear something that physically woke me up, it was the firefighter. He was on bended knee shooting the blazes.”
One person was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene, SAFD said.
“It’s absolutely horrible because these are my neighbors and they lost everything,” Debi Arney said. “It took less than an hour because I was watching the clock for them to lose everything.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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