Woman, 2 children die when fire destroys Houston apartment complex

HOUSTON — A woman and two children died after a fire swept through an apartment complex in Houston early Wednesday, authorities said.

>> Read more trending news

Firefighters responded to a neighborhood in west Houston shortly after 4 a.m. CDT, the Houston Chronicle reported. The fire spread quickly and caused part of the building to collapse, the Houston Fire Department said in a news release.

Firefighters found one victim and then two others after officials requested a construction apparatus to tear down an unstable building, according to the Chronicle.

Firefighters said the woman was in a wheelchair, while her two sons, ages 10 and 15, were in the same unit, KHOU-TV reported. The three victims have not been identified.

“Three tragedies, it’s difficult to accept that we couldn’t get to them in time enough,” HFD Deputy Chief Bryan Sky-Eagle told the television station. “The fire spread and heavy smoke was so fast.”

Officials initially reported that the victims were a woman in a wheelchair and two men, KTRK-TV reported.

It was not immediately clear what caused the fire, KHOU reported.

Fire officials estimated the cost of property damage due to the fire at $880,000, the Chronicle reported.

©2022 Cox Media Group