SAN ANTONIO — Andrea De Leon and Zoe Roy went from playing video games to escaping fiery destruction. They are among dozens of tenants displaced after a fire ripped through a northwest side apartment building Sunday night.
“In all honesty, we’re still trying to process the fact that we did lose almost everything,” De Leon said. “We were saving up for a new couch and we just got it and now it’s gone.”
San Antonio firefighters battled a massive fire at the Frederick Apartments at Gus Eckert Road and Cinnamon Hill around 9 p.m.
Officials reported no injuries or deaths from the blaze that destroyed building 5 at the apartment complex. Officials are still looking into what caused the fire.
“I’m very thankful for all the neighbors that helped out in getting everybody out,” De Leon said.
De Leon and Roy got out of their first-floor apartment after neighbors pounded on everyone’s doors alerting them about the situation.
De Leon and Roy rushed outside with their dogs and cats.
Families with babies also evacuated before smoke and flames overwhelmed the apartment building.
Leslie Quchera had just returned from work when she witnessed the inferno.
“My husband had called me and then told me the apartment’s on fire,” Quchera said. “Just seeing that was crazy and I freaked out just thinking, hey, it’s going to spread and get to my family.”
While Quchera’s home was not impacted by the fire, she feels for her neighbors who lost so much.
“I just feel bad for all the people that have to start their lives all over again. It’s not something you wish upon anybody. This is horrible,” Quchera said.
Property management and the Red Cross are assisting displaced residents with food, shelter and figuring out what’s next. De Leon and Roy are taking it one step at a time while keeping hopeful.
“We don’t know if we’re going to leave the apartment complex, we don’t know what’s going to happen in the future.”
De Leon setup a GoFundMe to collection donations for food, clothes and essential items for their pets.