A man was found dead and his girlfriend remained unaccounted for after flames tore through a southeast Houston boarding home Monday morning, leaving nearly two dozen residents homeless, KPRC Local 2 reports.
Firefighters found the man's body in the debris after extinguishing the fire at the boarding home on Delmar Street and Harrisburg Boulevard. The victim's identity has not been released.
The fire started at about 3:15 a.m., and flames spread so quickly that residents barely had enough time to escape.
"I put my pants on and I didn't even look, I just went out the window," resident Tim Lyons told KPRC Local 2.
Firefighters said one resident slipped on some stairs while trying to get out of the home. He was transported to a hospital and is expected to be OK.
Authorities said they have not come across any other bodies, but said the victim's girlfriend has not been located.
Witnesses told investigators that the couple was involved in a disagreement earlier and that she might have left before the building went up in flames.
Firefighters said some incense that a resident left burning may have sparked the flames that totally destroyed the building, however, the cause remains under investigation.
A METRO bus transported the displaced residents to the Arson Investigator's Office, where they were questioned about the fire.
No other injuries were reported.
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