HOUSTON – Fire investigators believe an early morning apartment fire in Houston’s Third Ward was intentionally set.
The fire started at around 2 a.m. in the 3700 block of Southmore at the Southmore Place Apartments. When fire crews arrived, they found a 13-year-old boy, his mother and one other resident practically hanging out a window, calling for help. “If our guys wouldn’t have arrived quick and made those rescues, these people would have probably died in this fire,” said Herman Gonzales of the Houston Fire Department.
Resident Dearie Ruth was watching TV in her apartment, when someone started banging on her door. “I grabbed my kid and my grandbaby and told them, ‘let‘Let’s get outta here!’,” Ruth said.
The flames burned four units. Smoke and water damaged eight more units. “My daughter woke me up and told me the apartment was on fire,” said Resident Lucille Butler. “We jumped up and left the house.”
Investigators are still trying to figure out who may have started the fire.
The Red Cross is assisting the displaced families.