WOODWAY, Texas — The morning of Saturday, July 8 was a nightmare for tenants at the Woodway Park Condominiums.
Kendra Grams, a resident who was in the building when it caught fire, told 6 News she started to smell something burning while she was asleep that morning.
"I thought it was just my mom burning popcorn or something," Grams explained.
Luckily her mom installed a smoke detector in their unit and they were able to hear the alert of a fire.
"When that smoke alarm went off and I smelled big caches of smoke, I grabbed my daughter off the bed and screamed for my mom downstairs," Grams said. "Whenever I opened the door, the entire top part was already engulfed in flames."
Woodway Police Chief Khalil El-Halabi says when fire crews arrived at the scene three minutes after receiving the call, the back of the building was almost completely destroyed.
"The fire truck showed up and they began evacuation procedures, knocking on doors and getting that process started," El-Halabi shared. "It took around 30 minutes to get the fire out."
There were 12 people living in the building and everyone made it out safely. One victim and a firefighter were taken to the hospital because of the fire, but have been released.
El-Halabi explained that the Woodway condo buildings were built sometime in the 1970s but there is no indication that is the reason why this fire began.
The 12 people who lived in the building lost everything they owned and have been placed in other open units at the complex, according to the leasing manager.
"We are so grateful to be alive. Things could have gone way worse for all of us," Grams said.
The American Red Cross has been a big help in assisting victims over the last few days.
"Times like these, I can't imagine what you're going through and it's so difficult for us to imagine that, El-Halabi said. "But I just don't want them to feel like they've been forgotten through the catastrophe."
A GoFundMe page has been set up for five families who have been displaced and the money will go towards their most immediate needs.