Eastside Apartment Fire Leaves Several Families Homeless

Fire crews responded to a fire at the San Mateo apartment complex at the 9300 Viscount Boulevard around 7 p.m. Saturday evening.

Officials said 18 fire units and 50 firefighters arrived at the scene to find heavy smoke and large flames coming from a second-story apartment.

Firefighters told our ABC-7 crew that they had to tear away portions of the roof to extinguish hot spots that were threatening to spread to other apartments.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze in about 10 minutes and the fire was contained to one unit.

Officials said the fire was likely caused by an electrical short.

A woman and two small children were inside the apartment at the time of the fire, but were able to get out of the building safely.

ABC-7 reporter Gerardo Najera spoke to a resident Zulema Hernandez who said she had to act quickly to save her family.

“We looked out the window and saw a lot of smoke. We got my kids and my husband and I, and we ran out,” said Hernandez.

Three other apartment units sustained heavy smoke or fire damage. Officials said damage is estimated at $75,000.

The American Red Cross of El Paso is assisting the five families who were displaced by the fire.