Dallas Firefighters OK after Mayday Event

Nov. 27 -- A fire broke out Tuesday morning at a condo building in far northeast Dallas, leading to multiple evacuations and injuring three firefighters who were briefly trapped.

The fire started around 9:15 a.m. at the Cambridge Park Condominiums in the 11400 block of Audelia Road, Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Jason Evans said.

Heavy smoke poured from the three-story building, and flames shot through the roof, officials said. It took about 100 firefighters four hours to extinguish the four-alarm blaze.

Yolando Ocampo had no idea there was a fire and just escaped unscathed, her face caked in soot from the smoke.

"When I opened the door, it was black,"  she told KDFW-TV (Fox 4). "I was super scared. I'm still, like, trembling."

At one point, a "mayday" call went out because three firefighters found themselves trapped on the second floor after a floor collapsed. They were rescued and evaluated by medical personnel, Evans said. 

Their injuries were not life-threatening, and they were "expected to be okay," he added. Two of the three were discharged from the hospital Tuesday afternoon, while the third remained for observation.

At least one resident was taken to an area hospital for smoke inhalation, Evans said. That victim, too, was expected to recover.

About 100 firefighters assumed a defensive posture as they tried to surround the building and douse the flames, Evans said.

One building containing 24 condos was destroyed and about 60 residents were displaced, according to the Red Cross, which was providing assistance.

Fire investigators were unable to enter the building because of the extensive damage, so the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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