Photos/Story by Keith Ellis

On Sunday night, March 3rd at approximately 10:00 PM the Fort Worth Fire Department responded with 2 alarms to an apartment fire at 3101 West Normandale, on the west side of Fort Worth. Engine and Quint 23 were the first to arrive on the scene and immediately reported a working fire to dispatch. Fire was showing on the back side of this two story brick complex. Flames could be seen shooting 30 feet above the roof.

As other companies were arriving station 23 had begun attacking the fire with the big booster. Initial dispatch had reported the there were people possibly trapped. A concerted and determined effort was made to clear the fire scene for any possible victims. The scene was rapidly cleared. There were no injuries.

It was an unseasonably cold night in North Texas. However this fact did not hinder approximately 150 onlookers from enduring the sub freezing temperatures in order to watch this fire drama unfold. Red Cross responded to the scene in order to assist a total of 23 people who were displaced from the 8 apartments which comprised this unit.

It is estimated that there is $300,000 damage to the structure and $75,000 on the contents. The overhaul of this fire scene continued into the early hours of Monday morning. At present the origin of the fire is undetermined.

The units which responded to the scene were, Engine & Quint 23, Engine 32, , Engine & Quint 16, Engine 30, Engine 18, Utility 4, Bn 4, Bn 5, Tech 1, Marshall 99, the Red Helmets and the Red Cross.