HOUSTON – A woman, who was one of three people who had been reported missing at a southwest Houston apartment complex during a large fire, was found safe after she says her fire alarm woke her up and a neighbor helped her out of her apartment.
Yvonne Gunter said she lived in unit 1824 on the second floor of one of the burned apartment buildings at the Westmount at Braesridge Apartments.
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“I was asleep when it happened,” she told KPRC 2’s Gage Goulding.
She says a beeping fire alarm woke her up to the impending danger. She said normally, a beeping alarm doesn’t bother her because it usually happens when the battery is getting low, but this time it was beeping multiple times, different then what she normally hears.
Shortly afterwards, she says she went to the bathroom and noticed smoke coming in under the door. She says she thought about going to the front door and checking outside, but walked to the refrigerator to get something to eat.
“All of a sudden, someone banged on my door,” she said.
One of Gunter’s neighbors came to check on her and informed her of the fire. She was able to get her out of the apartment. However, another neighbor did not know Gunter had already made it out.
“One of my neighbors said she was looking for me and she didn’t find me so she went to one of the firemen and they kicked my door in,” Gunter said.
Firefighters eventually learned Gunter had made it out with the help of her neighbor.
How to get free fire alarms in Houston
Fire alarms save lives and the Houston Fire Department has a program to help homeowners in need get free fire alarms.
Its called Get Alarmed Houston! It provides free 10-year smoke detectors to homeowners in need, specifically seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families.
If you or someone you know needs one, call HFD’s Public Affairs Division at 832-394-6633.