Apartment fire displaces four residents

Nearly 60 firefighters helped extinguish a blaze at an East El Paso apartment complex.

Residents of La Estancia Apartments, located at 9700 Viscount Blvd.,called 911 around 10:15 p.m. Wednesday.

When fire crews arrived, they found large flames and smoke coming from the back porch of a first floor apartment unit. Crews upgraded the fire to a Condition 4, which is a very serious fire, and evacuated four units, sending startled residents into the parking lot.

“Whenever we have an apartment fire, the units are so close together and it could actually spread rather quickly,” said George de la Torre, the fire department spokesman.

By the time firefighters gained control of the blaze, the blaze had spread inside that unit and to the balcony of the unit directly above.

Fire officials said that seven people were in both apartments at the time the fire broke out, but all of them were able to get out without injuries.

Of those, four people live in the apartments and will have to find another place to stay.

Fire investigators have not determined the cause of the blaze. Damage to both apartmentsis estimated at $40,000.