SAN ANTONIO — An orange glow could be seen in far north Bexar County as firefighters responded to high flames at an apartment complex on Saturday night.
Hundreds of people watched around 9 p.m. as part of the Anthony at Canyon Springs apartments on Wilderness Oak was lost to a roaring fire.
One resident says fire crews took awhile to get the fire down as video shows flames bursting through the roof of one building.
"We were looking at the horizon and we thought it was in another neighborhood and we see this explosion like flames bursts and it was like over and over. It took them awhile to get the fire down."
The resident said evacuations were underway as fire crews had ladders on the windows to assist in taking people out.
"I think it was very upsetting. Heartbreaking to see those people crying. Everything they love was in those buildings. Sad to see."
As fire companies from across the region raced to join the fight, witnesses say firefighters had trouble putting water on the fire. "We started hearing people say there's no water. There's no water." Nearby fire plugs they say? Were dry.
They tried several ones and no water was coming out. Hoses had to be stretched over long distances and parts of the roof started to cave.
The top part of the building collapsed. Firefighters used aerial ladders to surround and drown the fire, in a hard fought battle to save other buildings.
A manager was on site at the outset, helping tenants find shelter, an effort they say will continue as the search for answers about what happened continues.
"God bless everybody. Hope everybody is okay."
Fire crews were back at the apartments the next morning monitoring for hotspots, but Battalion Chief Jeff O’Leary said what they found was a building too unstable to enter.
"We're having to kind of monitor the building," O’Leary said. "The best we can from the exterior using engine companies and ladders from an aerial point of view."
The building had ten apartments and fire investigators estimated its value at $3 million. O’Leary said crews were unable to get water from some of the hydrants inside the luxury apartment complex.
"This is a private system inside the water complex,” O’Leary said. “So, we were addressing that with the property owners."
The department reached out to mutual aid networks in the area for assistance. O’Leary said twelve agencies sent what they could.
"But at all points we maintain district coverage, whether it’s back at their home or within our district,” O’Leary said.
Crews spent Sunday monitoring the building for hotspots. They left one unit overnight to keep watch for any flare-ups.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, the Bexar County Fire Marshal is investigating.
We'd like to thank several KENS 5 viewers who provided video to us as we wish everyone who lost so much our best:
Bradford Hays
Jack Fleming
Kaden Glass
Trey Perez