Story/Photos by Ricky Reeves
Flames raced through a Lewisville, Texas apartment building Tuesday morning, burning a woman and her young grandson. The flames were first spotted at mid-morning at the Village West Apartments located at 1002 Edmonds Lane.
The fire spread quickly, as the initial first alarm assignment from the Lewisville Fire department arrived. Immediately, a second alarm assignment was requested and dispatched to help in the firefighting efforts and help evacuate the surrounding apartments.
With temperatures hovering in the mid to high nineties and due to the volume of fire encountered by firefighters, the incident commander requested a third and fourth alarm assignment for additional personnel.
A woman and her young grandson managed to escape Unit 59 before firefighters arrived and were airlifted by 2 Careflite helicopters with what appeared to be second and third degree burns.
The woman sustained severe burns to her feet and lower legs and was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. The boy was burned on the side of his leg and arm and was transported to Children's Medical Center, officials said.
One firefighter was transported to Columbia Medical Center of Lewisville for heat exhaustion, and four others were treated at the scene for heat exhaustion.
Amanda Juarez, 23, wept Tuesday afternoon as she watched firefighters douse her charred apartment. Hours earlier, she and her 3-year-old daughter, Mikaila, escaped the second-story unit when the mother lowered the girl out the window into the arms of passersby and then jumped to safety.
Noel Linares, 25, was cutting across the apartment complex with his friend, 26-year-old Adrein Resendiz, when he saw the fire, he said.
"We came from the road and saw the flames, and said, 'We can help with something,'" Mr. Linares said.
Mr. Resendiz said he heard screams and saw Ms. Juarez motioning for help.
"She was saying, 'Help me, help me. I can't get out,'" he said.
Eighteen-year-old Nik Kelley said he was driving on Edmonds Lane when he noticed the smoke and pulled into the complex before firefighters arrived.
"It was just a big ball of fire," he said.
Lewisville dispatchers received a call about the fire at 10:09 a.m.
The blaze destroyed eight of sixteen apartments and caused damage to an adjacent apartment building and several parked cars.
Fire officials said the fire spread fast across the building's dry wood shingles, fueled in part by a slight wind that blew through a breezeway at the center of the blaze and fanned the flames cutting off any escape via the doors for occupants.
About 55 firefighters helped put out the blaze. Lewisville received mutual aid from fire departments in Carrollton, Flower Mound, Denton, The Colony, Lake Cities, Highland Village, Grapevine, and Coppell. The Red Cross arrived on the scene about noon to assist residents who lost their homes.
Arson Investigator Kenny Wilkins said his preliminary investigation did not indicate the fire was suspicious in nature and that the cause and origin of the fire would soon be determined.
Lewisville Fire Chief, Rick Lasky stated, "I am extremely proud of how well our firefighters fought this fire. They were faced with a tremendous amount of fire, rescues, and civilian injuries. Fire companies went to work and fought this fire aggressively and did a great job."
