By Dale Lezon
The Houston Chronicle
HOUSTON — Two bodies were found in a closet of a southwest Houston apartment damaged by a fire early Monday.
The fire broke out at the Greenhouse Patio Apartments in the 6300 block of West Airport about 4:50 a.m. Monday, Houston Fire Department Assistant Chief Karen DuPont said.
The blaze was extinguished about an hour later.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Authorities did not release the identities of the two bodies Monday, but fire officials said they could be the remains of an elderly man and his wife who had not been located at the time of the fire. The victims were found inside a closet of one of the charred apartments and appeared to have taken shelter there, authorities said.
DuPont said one firefighter was taken to Memorial Herman Hospital, where he was treated for a concussion after falling down while battling the blaze. He was released.
Investigators believe the fire started on the building’s first floor before spreading to the second floor. The victims were found in an upstairs unit.
Screams for help
Michelle Rhodes, 12, said she and her mother heard the two elderly people screaming for help from an upstairs apartment. She said her mother was banging on windows warning everyone to get out. They couldn’t get up the stairway to the victims’ apartment because the flames were blocking their way.
Her 10-year-old brother, Demetrice Sykes, said he often helped the couple around their apartment, carrying their groceries or taking their garbage out.
“It’s sad,” he said. “It shouldn’t have happened to those nice people.”
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