By Roy Appleton and Jason Trahan
The Dallas Morning News
Copyright 2006 The Dallas Morning News
A woman trapped in her first-floor northwest Dallas apartment died early Saturday in a four-alarm blaze that left dozens of others homeless.
Authorities were trying to determine whether the woman, whose name was not immediately available, died as a result of smoke and fire or by some other cause, said Lt. Joel Lavender, a Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman.
Investigators believe the fire began in the woman’s downstairs apartment, but they had not determined the cause. Lt. Lavender said the fire appeared to have been an accident.
Firefighters arrived shortly after the fire began at 8:25 a.m. and were told by bystanders that a woman was trapped inside a first-floor unit, Lt. Lavender said. However, the fire’s intensity and the collapse of the building’s roof prevented them from getting to her in time, he said.
During the fire, six upstairs units at the Chase Place apartments in the 3300 block of Chapel Creek Drive collapsed onto six downstairs units.
About 45 people lost their homes and were relocated to apartments in the complex or another nearby, said Betsy Edmond of the American Red Cross.
“My father said, ‘Get the stuff and get out,’” said Maritza Portano, 10, who fled the fire. “We got the cat. She scratched me right here,” she said, showing a red mark on her right shoulder.
Miguel Angel, 39, and four members of his family also were left without a home. Sitting outside the Chase Place complex, he said the fire was just the latest blow after two car accidents that have left him injured and unable to work.
“I feel bad because I couldn’t do anything” after the fire broke out, he said. Now, after the fire, what will he do? “I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t know.”
It took nearly 100 firefighters more than an hour to bring the fire under control. Damage was estimated at about $500,000.