May 03--ARLINGTON -- Two residents were injured and six apartment units destroyed Saturday afternoon in a three-alarm fire near the University of Texas at Arlington.
Fire broke out at the South Campus Apartments in the 600 block of Causley Avenue at about 3 p.m. Police were responding to a domestic violence call at the complex at about 2:30 p.m. when they saw the fire and radioed it in, fire Battalion Chief Joe Morris said.
It was not known whether there was a connection between the call and the fire, Morris said.
The fire spread through 13 units, completely destroying six, Morris said.
One person was sent to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas for burn treatments to the feet. A second victim suffered minor burns, he said.
The complex was evacuated and residents waited outside nearby businesses before returning inside.
Resident Manny Perez, who lives across complex from the affected units, said he originally thought it was nothing more than a kitchen fire.
"I remember looking outside trying to figure out what was going on and then seeing the fire just explode," Perez said. "I saw a white truck close by catch on fire right after I moved mine away from the building."
Perez said he first checked on the apartment manager before helping other residents leave the building. He and fellow resident Anthony Kallas helped carry two children outside, he said.
Kallas was sleeping when the fire started.
"I kept hearing sirens, but I thought it was something like a chase or a robbery," Kallas said. "Then I just saw black flames cover the sky and realized it was obviously serious."
The fire remained under investigation Saturday evening.
Taylor Prater, 817-390-7964 Twitter: @taylornprater
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