2 People Dead In Dallas Senior Complex Fire
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A five-alarm fire ripped through a senior living apartment complex in northeast Dallas early Wednesday morning, killing two people and forcing firefighters to conduct evacuations while also trying to battle the flames.
Emergency crews were called to the Gatewood Apartments at around 2:15 a.m. early Wednesday. This is located along Ridgecrest Road near Park Lane in Dallas. Heavy flames and smoke were showing when firefighters first arrived to the scene.
"I woke up. I smelled smoke. I crawled out my door," Pamela Harts said behind tears. "There was a lot of smoke in my apartment."
Dallas Fire-Rescue said that multiple residents were calling dispatchers asking to be rescued. Many of them had trouble walking, or were bound to wheelchairs or walkers, and could not easily escape the building on their own due to physical limitations. This presented a real challenge to firefighters.
More than 150 firefighters responded to the blaze.
"I did what you're supposed to do in a fire, and fell to my knees and crawled and walked slowly down the stairs," stated resident Beth Short. She got outside safely with Hook, her pet parrot of the last 18 years. The bird flew away after Short fell while crossing the street, but they were reunited a few hours later.
Three residents were hurt during the fire and had to be transported to the hospital -- two for smoke inhalation and one who was experiencing serious breathing problems, said to Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Jason Evans. The injuries are not believed to be life threatening.
Once the flames were under control, firefighters continued to comb through the building looking for additional victims. That is when they located at least two people who were deceased. These individuals have not yet been identified.
"Smoke kept coming and man next door couldn't breathe -- trapped," Harts added. "Hope he was okay."
The American Red Cross arrived at the scene to help out about 100 displaced apartment residents. Most of the damage appeared to have been done to the four-story apartment building's top floor. The building is home to about 300 people across 200 to 250 units.
The cause of the fire is now under investigation.
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