The Red Cross says 24 families will need to be rehomed.
SAN ANTONIO — A fire ripped through dozens of apartments as the wind fueled the flames.
Video from a viewer showed that massive fire off Jackson Keller Road as it burned.
Authorities say no one was hurt but 26 units at the Keller Apartments are a total loss and now the Red Cross is working to get two dozen families rehomed.
Authorities said this fire broke out around 5:00 this afternoon at the Keller Apartments.
“You’re lucky you don’t have 20 dead people in this building,” a man at the fire said.
Fire officials believe it was an accident and it all began in someone’s chimney.
“It feels like sheer panic, like the whole world is crumbling around you,” Amanda Trevino, a resident at the Keller Apartments said.
Rushing home from work Trevino could think of only one thing as she watched flames climb out of the building near hers.
“I really wanted to go and get my dogs because I found out the building that was burning was 13 and I live in 12.”
Her dogs made it out safe along with 24 other families the Red Cross said they’re working to rehome tonight.
“I passed a mother who’s carrying her infant child…there’s dogs barking trying to figure out what’s going on…lots of chaos,” Dr. Daniel P. Martinez with the Red Cross said.
Joe Arrington with SAFD said they believe the fire started in an apartment chimney on the second or third floor. It took nearly 30 minutes to put it out as they battled the wind.
“We had an unobstructed northerly wind coming in there blowing that fire from left to right when you’re looking at it,” Arrington said.
Arrington added that there were four separate sections of the building and two of those completely collapsed. The other two are going to have smoke and water damage so all 26 unites are impacted.
Arrington also wants to remind everyone to heat their home safely in these cold temps and if you need more information on how to do so you can visit firesafesa.com