Apartment fire in West Houston injures fireman, leaves families displaced

HOUSTON (FOX26) - A two-alarm fire at the Ashford Creek Apartments in West Houston left one firefighter with a leg injury, and several families displaced, according to fire officials.

Shirlisa Davis witnessed the initial flames when she got home Sunday afternoon, and quickly tried to notify family and neighbors.

"I ran and I started beating on every door saying 'get out, get out, it's a fire'," said Davis, who lives in the building adjacent to the blaze. "Just that fast, I got out and the fire was already coming up through the roof of the house."

Deputy Chief Mike Sangl say the fire was called in around 1:34 P.M. and declared under control by 2:04 P.M. Sangle expects all eight units in the building will be damaged and says Red Cross has been called to assist those who have been displaced.

Complicating factors in this fire included the heat index, which FOX26 Meteorologist John Dawson says topped out at an unseasonable feels-like temp of over 100 degrees in Houston on Sunday, and the long distance fire fighters had to go to reach a water source on the main roadway outside the complex.

"Based on the construction feature, and the way this is laid out, the water was taking a little longer to get back to the engines," said Sangl.

Officials are investigating the cause of the fire.