Investigators are looking into what caused a fire at a northeast side apartment building Sunday. More than 20 people are now without homes.
SAN ANTONIO — A woman is sharing the harrowing moments she got her family out of a burning apartment building on San Antonio’s northeast side. The fire displaced 25 people Sunday night.
Shada Daniels said the fire broke out around 10:30 p.m. at the Iron Horse Valley Apartments off Northeast Loop 410.
“We heard a lot of running but nobody knocked on anybody’s door,” Daniels said. “I was looking out the window and by the time I made it back to the living room, the living room was filled with smoke.”
She said the smoke quickly turned into flames. With her nieces, nephews and disabled stepmother inside, Daniels had to act fast.
“The fire was moving really fast toward us, so I didn’t have time to take the kids down the stairs, I had to throw them from the third floor, not knowing if anybody would catch them,” she said.
Fortunately, a neighbor was there and caught the children. Daniels said that same neighbor also helped her get her stepmother out safely. But as Daniels made one final trip down the stairs, she was injured.
“I fell through because the fire was everywhere, I couldn’t see the stairs anymore,” she said.
Daniels had just moved into the apartment with her boyfriend in March. Now, she says everything they own is gone.
“It took us forever,” she said. “We came from a motel to that apartment and we lost all our money.”
Firefighters placed the family in a motel with five nights paid for but Daniels said they do not know where they will go after that. She said the apartment complex has terminated their lease.
“They’re just giving us the $400 we paid to move in and telling us to go our way,” Daniels said. “They’re saying there are no vacant two-bedroom units available.”
In total, 12 units were destroyed in Sunday’s fire. The American Red Cross said it is assisting several families. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
This is the second fire at the complex in less than two years. In July 2023, the building next to Daniels’ caught fire, destroying eight units. The cause of that fire was never released.
KENS 5 has filed an open records request for more information. The city has 10 business days to respond.
Daniels said they did not have renters’ insurance and are now searching for resources to help them recover.
Following the interview, Daniels was taken to the hospital. Firefighters said no one else was injured in the fire.
KENS 5 also reached out to the apartment complex. A manager declined to comment by phone.