PASADENA, Texas – Emergency crews responded to a large fire at an apartment in Pasadena Friday.
The fire happened in the 3600 block of South Shaver Street.
Video from the scene showed crews spraying water on flames coming through the roof of the complex.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene.
According to Chief Fire Marshal David Brannon with the Pasadena Fire Department, 24 units responded to the scene along with around 75 personnel. The Houston Fire Department provided mutual aid.
Brannon said the call for the fire came in around 1:36 p.m. When units arrived, they found heavy fire coming from some of the apartment units.
He said it appears between 20 and 24 apartment units were affected in some way.
No injuries were reported to either residents or firefighters.
It is unknown at this time what caused the fire, but they are continuing to investigate. They said investigators have not been able to get into the building as crews are still fighting the fire.
Bannon said Shaver Street is blocked at Vista, Allen-Genoa, and Fairmont. He said the roadway will be blocked for probably the next two to three hours.
They are working to get Red Cross out to the scene to affect residents displaced by the fire. They are also working with the apartment complex to see if there are any vacant apartments that can be used to house those affected.
He said some of the units are a total loss and others have water and smoke damage.
“Some of them are a total loss, some of them are going to be smoke damage and water damage, stuff may be salvageable but it is a pretty extensive fire,” Bannon said.
Bannon said the heat and wind have made it difficult for firefighters.
“Fighting under these conditions, the severe heat with these guys in this bunker gear, its just brutal on them, so we’re fighting a little bit of wind direction which pushes the fire, but we’re also fighting the extreme heat,” he said.
He said none of the firefighters have been injured, although several have been checked out just because of the work they are doing in the heat.
Crystal Deleon said she rushed to the scene after her friend called her while escaping the fire with her children.
“She called me and told me her apartment was on fire, she’s disabled, she called me and let me know so I rushed over here. My friend was staying downstairs at the apartment where the building caught on fire. She is safely out with her kids,” said Deleon.