WHARTON COUNTY, Texas – An overnight fire has left more than a dozen residents without a home on Wednesday in Wharton.
The fire broke out at an apartment complex off Junior College Boulevard.
Firefighters say all eight units in the building were destroyed, and at least six of them were occupied.
A total of 15 residents lived in the complex, and officials confirmed everyone made it out safely.
When firefighters arrived, flames were already tearing through the roof.
Resident Jessica Diettrich described the moments she had to escape.
“It’s hard because it’s like it’s a dream, you don’t think it’s gonna hit your front door. So you just grab what you can and go,” Diettrich said.
Another resident, Chrissy Trevino, said she couldn’t get downstairs because of heavy smoke.
“I tried to get my cat. I opened the door, and it was smoky... I couldn’t even go downstairs. All we could do was go to the balcony because I didn’t know what was going on,” Trevino said.
KPRC 2 News cameras captured the moment firefighters reunited Trevino with her cat after rescuing the pet from the building.
Officials say one firefighter suffered a minor injury while battling the flames but was treated on scene and returned to work.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.
The Red Cross is now assisting the 15 displaced residents with emergency housing and resources as the community works to help them recover.