Fire erupted at an apartment building in Lewisville around 4:30 am Monday.
More than 10 people were sent to the hospital for injuries, and more than a dozen people are homeless.
It was going in no time, said Kris Delong, who saw the fire. It was just one big flame, then explosions.
Images From The Scene
Oxygen tanks inside the building caused the loud explosions. Firefighters fought towering flames and intense heat.
This is the biggest fire since Ive been on the department in Lewisville, said Bob Blackstone, the Lewisville fire chief. High winds kept the flames going.
Three nearby homes and the historic village council building were damaged by the heat. Siding melted off of a home that sits more than 30 feet away. Carl Slevin lives in the home and used a garden hose to try and protect his siding. He also helped the people who ran from the burning building.
I heard kids screaming. I had a house full of them. They all wanted in because they didn't have no clothes, no shoes, no shirts, said Slevin.
The kids were later moved to the fire station because firefighters worried Slevin's house would burn down.
No one was seriously injured in the fire, but most suffered from minor burns and smoke inhalation.
John Paul, NEWS9
Previous Story:
- April 16, 2007: Monroe County Fire Injures 11 People
