Apartment unit “total loss” after morning fire, no injuries

A central El Paso apartment building was destroyed in a fire Saturday morning. Fire crews were sent out to the High Vista Apartments at 9:46 a.m. There are no reports of injuries to residents or firefighters at this time.

Heavy fire and smoke were seen coming out of the apartment building’s roof as 44 firefighters started battling the blaze. El Paso Fire Battalion Chief Frank Perry explained firefighters arrived and searched the burning apartments for people. No one was found and the firefighters started to battle the flames. Perry said it took little more than an hour to get the fire under control.

“Crews were able to put a quick stop and contain it to those two apartment units, the rest of the apartments we’re talking just smoke damage,” Perry said.

Crews continued to fight small bursts of flame and hot spots through the morning. The fire is now completely out.

Two residents told ABC-7 they lived in the same building and were woken up by neighbors telling them to get out.

“I was asleep in bed, I woke up to knocking so I went and answered the door. People were screaming that there was a fire, and I was like ‘There’s no fire’ but I looked over to the apartment building next to us, and the whole things was up in flames.” said Sabrina Hill

Hill and her roommate have four cats and managed to save them all before evacuating their apartment. With smoke starting to trickle into their home the rescue was difficult.

“My cat, she hid behind the couch and I couldn’t get to her, so I literally threw the couch and then she ran into my closet. I was like ‘I’m trying not to die here’,” said Hill’s roommate, Sarina Adams.

Adams said she may have inhaled smoke, but felt fine after being in the open air.

Perry told ABC-7 the property managers are working with the Red Cross to house displaced residents. It’s not known when neighbors will be allowed back into their apartments.

Fire officials called the single apartment unit where the fire started a total loss. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.