CASTLE HILLS, Texas — An apartment fire in Castle Hills may have been caused by a lightning strike, according to SAFD.
San Antonio firefighters responded to reports of a fire early Wednesday morning in the 11800 block of Braesview near Lockhill Selma Road and West Avenue.
Mason Rabe was sleeping when his apartment was struck by lighting just before 11 p.m. It wasn’t lost on the former firefighter that this was a fire he couldn’t put out.
“It was more of just an adrenaline rush," Rabe said. "It was a shock for all of us.”
Rabe and his girlfriend woke up to the sound of a loud crack which was accompanied by a strange smell which turned out to be an electrical fire.
The former firefighter gathered a few belongings. The most prized one, his service dog: Blue.
“Got out, left all of our clothes and all of our sentimental stuff sadly,” he said.
By the time the couple got outside firefighters were already outside and it took crews 45 minutes to put out the flames. The San Antonio Fire Department tells us they received a call about a potential lightning strike just before 11 p.m. which was upgraded to an appliance fire as reports came in of smoke coming from a dryer.
When firefighters arrived, they found fire on the second floor of an apartment building. Initially, the call came out as a lightning strike, according to SAFD. Then it was called in as an appliance fire, then building fire.
Officials believe the fire started in a utility area and then got up into the attic.
At least two units will be displaced and a total of four units were impacted. Officials say that both bottom floor apartments were vacant.
A total of 12 people are now displaced. SAFD believes the cause of the fire was electrical and lighting related.
No estimate was provided on the amount of damages caused and no injuries were reported.
Their apartment was not the only one impacted by lightning. Just after midnight on the northwest side on Trent Ranch, lightning struck a home causing a fire which SAFD says was put out within 15 minutes.
The tenants inside this home declined to comment but did say they are living in a hotel for the time being.
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