Pasadena graduate identified as victim of San Marcos fire

David Ortiz was 21

David Ortiz

SAN MARCOS, Texas – A Pasadena man was among the people killed in a massive fire last Friday at Iconic Village and Vintage Pads apartments, officials said Thursday.

David Ortiz was 21 years old.

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Three of the five victims have now been identified by the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The other two are Haley Michele Frizzell, 19, of San Angelo, and Dru Estes, 20, of San Antonio, according to a statement from the San Marcos Fire Marshal’s Office.

One victim’s ID is pending release from the medical examiner, and the fifth victim remains unidentified, pending DNA analysis, investigators said.

The victims were found in Building 500 at the apartments. City officials have been in constant communication with family members since Friday, authorities said.

The San Marcos Fire Marshal’s Office, with help from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives National Response Team and the State Fire Marshal’s Office, will continue investigating throughout the week. The operation could take months, authorities said.

The fire started about 4:30 a.m. last Friday in San Marcos.

Investigators said there were no sprinklers in the building, which was built in 1970, because sprinklers were not required at the time. The building also hasn't undergone any major renovations that would require sprinklers to be installed, investigators said. It was not immediately clear if the building had any working smoke detectors, investigators said.

Firefighters said a total of about 200 people have been affected by the fire and 110 units were damaged. 

Texas State University officials said they are working to help students affected by the fire, and has set up a page on the university's website to provide information at safety.txstate.edu.

Ortiz was a former student at Pasadena Memorial High School. His mother is a Spanish teacher at the school, according to a family friend.