WACO, Texas — Fifteen people are without a home Tuesday morning after an overnight apartment fire in Waco.
Just before midnight, the Waco Fire Department were called out to the Flats on Chapel Apartments. When they arrived, responding crews called for a second alarm, which "is basically reinforcements due to heavy volume of fire," said Executive Deputy Fire Chief Robby Bergerson.
A total of 34 firefighters responded and had the flames contained in the attic of the two-story building in about 30 minutes, Bergerson said. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.
"That's going to be under investigation by our fire marshals but I can tell you that all of the fire was in the attic,” he said. “There was no fire actually in apartments themselves.”
A total of seven units were damaged and one firefighter was hit in the head, Bergerson said. That firefighter is expected to be okay, he said.
No residents were injured.
Navin Nambiar lived in one of the units that had to be evacuated. He said he was asleep with his wife when he woke up to smoke in the unit.
“It was very scary, I don't know what kind of damage is up there," he said. "I'll have to go back and see... You know, it’s all very precious and things that are very dear to me, I don't know what is lost. I'll have to go back once they allow us to go in,” he told 6 News as fire crews worked to clean up hot spots.
Nambiar’s wife stood outside and huddled in a yellow blanket, her hands on her face as she relived the nightmare unfolding.
The American Red Cross is assisting those who were left without a home, but the Flats on Chapel apartment manager said that if anyone would like to help, they can call her directly in the office at (254) 420-1137.
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