11 people were displaced and one firefighter went to the hospital to be checked out.
SAN ANTONIO — Estrella, Cookie and Negra are lucky to be alive after the three small dogs were trapped for a time in a burning apartment early Monday.
The tiniest victims of a fast-moving fire spent the morning on a patio as recovery activity buzzed around them at the Villas on Springvale on Highway 90 just east of Loop 410.
Firefighters say eleven people were displaced when three apartments were lost to flames and another three were left uninhabitable from smoke and water damage.
One firefighter was taken to the hospital to be evaluated for an undisclosed reason.
Cecilia Valdez said it all started around 3:30 a.m. when neighbors jumped into action to save each other.
“Everybody here came out together. We’re knocking on people’s doors, kicking people’s doors! I was screaming for everybody to get out. There’s a fire! Wake up!” Valdez said.
Neighbor Julian Ramirez, who lives in a nearby building, said he woke up to a weird smell and opened his door to see flames.
“Everything was on fire. Everything was covered in flames,” Ramirez said, adding they were shaken up but grateful.
“We’re fine. I mean we’re blessed. God saved us,” Ramirez said, adding he has a friend who lives in the building that burned.
“He got uprooted. He lost pretty much his whole life,” Ramirez said.
Valdez said she found the kindness of strangers to be a big relief as people started showing up to help the displaced.
“Everybody came together. Everybody helped each other out, gave us waters, gave us food,” Valdez said.
Valdez said they weren’t allowed to try to save their pets during the fire, so she was relieved to find them alive.
“Most importantly, the dogs were not hurt. They stayed in there the whole time they were putting out the fire. They wouldn’t allow us to go in because it was too dangerous for us,” Valdez said.
Representatives from the American Red Cross spent the morning interviewing victims to catalogue their individual needs and provide immediate help.
Meanwhile the investigation into the cause continues.
While one neighbor suggested a candle might be to blame, the incident commander, Wesley West, said fire investigators are trying to determine if the facts match the allegation.
Neighbors reported that one person was taken into custody, but fire personnel could not confirm if an arrest had been made.