3-alarm fire tears through apartments in NE Harris County

HOUSTON – A huge 3-alarm fire at a northwest Harris County apartment complex has left some families homeless.

emergency crews responded to a call at the Village of Inwood Apartments on West Mount around 2:30 Friday afternoon.

According to officials, the fire started in a second floor bedroom and it spread to three other apartments.

"If that fire alarm wouldn't have went off, I don't know if I'd be here right now," said Richard Johnson, a resident.

Johnson says he woke up Friday afternoon and a pile of his clothes were on fire.

"It started in a room in the middle of the floor and I thought I put it out at first. I thumped it. Then I went in the living room and fell asleep. And that's when I woke up, I seen it was bigger than what it was," said Johnson.

By the time the firefighters were able to contain the fire, four apartments were severely damaged.

"My wife was in the house, my daughter... and now my stuff is gone. Everything is burned up," said Otis Walker, a resident.

No one was injured and firefighters were even able to save several pets.

"I kept asking 'where's my animals?. I know that one was in the patio but I could see that one but I didn't see Sadie. And I kept asking 'where's my dog?'"

Several witnesses say they saw Johnson's girlfriend leaving the apartment moments before the chaos, and investigators want to talk to her.

"We weren't in a fight or nothing or nothing like that. I don't know if she did it. I don't know  if she did it. I don't know why she would do it," said Johnson.

Johnson says he feels terrible that the fire started in his apartment.

"I can't even look over there. I think about the people it affects. I can take my loss. I can't take their loss. They had nothing to do with this," said Johnson.

Investigators say they're still trying to track down Johnson's girlfriend to ask her a few questions. She is currently being called a person of interest.