HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – Twenty-four families are trying to figure out where they are going to stay after a deadly fire ripped through their apartment complex.
A man lost his life in the fire that destroyed the entire Royale De Ville Apartments building in the 700 block of Richcrest Drive and Greenbriar Park. Family members identified the victim as Marcos Ovalle, 48.
Once the smoke cleared firefighters found Ovalle’s body inside his unit. Neighbors said he lived with a roommate, who escaped the fire.
“I mean the smoke was so dark and thick people were literally running into each other because we couldn’t see each other,” said resident Terri Cooper.
Charred wood and debris is all that's left of the building. Residents grabbed their cell phones are started recording video of the orange ball of fire that engulfed their homes.
"It was orange and it was tall and it was coming out of the top of the roof," Hall said.
"Yeah there was fire everywhere. I was scared. I wanted to cry because I came out here first and I was crying to my mom. I told my mom this is bad. She came out here. I was scared because I got my little sisters," resident Ashley Rodriguez said.
Firefighters found flames shooting through the roof when they arrived around 4 a.m.
"We had to go defensive immediately, so we set up defensive operations, and we started out primary search and rescue," Aldine Fire Chief Jackie Metcalfe said.
At least six vehicles were also damaged in the fire.
"It is heartbreaking because everybody has to start all over again," resident Yolanda Banks Hall said.
In the midst of the devastation firefighters rescued a lost puppy named Oreo and were able to return the dog to its owners.
“We’ve lost everything, but now we have him and we’re so happy,” said the puppy’s owner.
The Harris County fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.
Oreo found after fire in Aldine @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/ulXLRPKjaV
— Cesar Martinez (@cman3636) March 25, 2016