Fort Worth apartment fire injures firefighter, leaves dozens homeless

FORT WORTH, Texas - Dozens of residents are displaced and all 16 units of an apartment building were damaged after a fast-moving fire tore through the Hillcrest Apartments on the far east side of Fort Worth on Tuesday morning. 

High winds and the size of the blaze created dangerous conditions for both firefighters and families rushing to evacuate.

Fort Worth apartment fire displaces residents

What we know:

The Fort Worth Fire Department began receiving 911 calls around 8:14 a.m. reporting flames coming from one of the units at the complex on Gazebo Lane, just south of Highway 183. When crews arrived, they immediately called for more resources as strong winds, gusting up to 29–30 mph, pushed the fire through the building.

"When you’re talking about gusts of wind 29–30 mph, we’re already behind the curve when we’re battling the wind," said FWFD PIO Greg Trojacek.

Roughly 90 firefighters responded to the scene. One firefighter was injured, though officials have not released the extent of the injuries.

Residents describe chaos and loss

Local perspective:

The fire forced 43 people from their homes. Some escaped with only the clothes they were wearing.

Mustak Ansari, an international student, said nothing inside his unit survived.

"Everything is gone. Nothing left. I have my clothes… that’s the only thing I have," he said. 

He also fears the loss of his legal documents, which were destroyed in the fire.

"In this situation, you don't have any legal documents and immigration is really hard out there… I just have my driver’s license that’s going to expire in August."

Others, like Abhi Noticewala, were fortunate their units remained standing, but say the outcome could have been much worse since her parents were asleep when the fire began.

"Somebody knocked on their door, like a real hard bang, and told them there was a fire," he said.

Noticewala says a stranger went door-to-door waking residents, and believes that person likely saved lives.

"We are really grateful for them or else who knows what might’ve happened," he said.

Several residents described watching parts of the building collapse.
"We saw the roof and then the roof fell down," Ansari said.

Aftermath and support

What's next:

Trojacek said seeing longtime residents return to find their possessions destroyed is "heartbreaking."

The Red Cross is assisting those displaced, providing temporary help as residents figure out their next steps.

Ansari says he has no idea what comes next.

"I don’t know where we’re going to go, what we’re going to eat today. No idea."

What we don't know:

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.