HOUSTON, Texas – A large fire tore through the Maison De Ville apartments near Greens Road this morning, damaging at least 10 units and forcing multiple families out of their homes.
One resident said they were asleep when they heard a noise outside and looked out the window to see people running.
The resident said neighbors began knocking on doors, warning others that the apartments were on fire, prompting residents to rush outside and alert others to evacuate.
Firefighters said no injuries were reported, but families were forced to flee with only what they could carry.
For some residents, the loss is deeply personal. KPRC 2 News reporter Ricky Munoz spoke to a family who said the fire destroyed their roof and everything inside, including money they had saved over time to return to their home country.
Fire Chief Thomas Munoz confirmed crews moved quickly to control the fire and stop it from spreading to additional buildings.
After the main flames were knocked down, firefighters began the overhaul process. That includes checking for hotspots and opening parts of the structure to make sure the fire does not restart.
Officials said no injuries and no deaths were reported.
About 10 apartment units were affected. Fire officials said they were still working to confirm how many residents were inside those units at the time of the fire.
The Red Cross was notified and is now helping families who were displaced.
Houston Fire Department arson investigators are working to determine how the fire started and where it originated.
Fire officials said no preliminary cause has been released. Residents have not been allowed back inside while safety inspections and the investigation continue.
Several residents said they were asleep when the situation unfolded.
Andrés Gutiérrez said neighbors knocked on his door to warn him.
“I was asleep when I heard noise outside. Then they told me the apartments were on fire. That is when I went out and started warning everyone to get out,” Gutiérrez said. Translated from Spanish.
He said he was also the one who called 911.
“I was scared. No one was even calling 911. I was the one who called the firefighters,” he said.
Claire Ortega said her family had no time to grab anything.
“I was inside when my neighbor came to my door and knocked. I did not even want to open because I was scared. He told me the apartments were on fire. I felt panic. I woke up my wife, my sister-in-law who is pregnant, and the girls,” Ortega said.
She said they rushed outside as flames spread.
“When we went outside, everything was already burning. Everything we had inside was lost. We had to leave suddenly, without knowing why. We still do not know what caused the fire or how it started,” she said.
Maria, a student whose family is from Colombia, said the fire spread quickly across the building.
“The fire kept spreading. We lost the roof. And the money I saved to go back to my country. I lost everything,” she said. Translated from Spanish.
Maria said she had been saving the money week by week to travel back to Colombia with her family. She said those savings and many personal items were destroyed in the fire.
Residents said they are waiting for answers from property management about relocation options and possible assistance.
Some said they have not been allowed back inside to check their apartments or collect belongings.
Fire officials said crews will remain involved as investigators complete their work and safety checks continue.
KPRC 2 will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.