ROWLETT, Texas — One fire crew after the other rushed to try to get an apartment fire in Rowlett under control.
“Every floor is done, for sure,” said Miena Joseph, a Rowlett resident.
The fire started at around 8:30 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday, 24 hours later, parts were still burning.
As of noon on Sunday, officials said the fire was finally out.
“Once we think that it’s fine or it’s getting there, then you turn around...,” said Rowlett mayor Blake Margolis.
The building was under construction and not yet open to residents, so no one was injured.
“We saw the drywall on the ceilings, y'know, on the bottom floor and we're like, ‘Oh my goodness!' and water is coming out the windows,’” said Joseph, who lives right across the street.
Joseph and her family left home because of the heavy smoke.
“There's embers being blown our way," she said. "The thought is, y'know, I hope nothing topples over."
She has seen the construction of the building from the start.
“Just to see it just kind of go up into flames, it was pretty surreal,” said Joseph.
The apartment building is part of the city's long-awaited, $1 billion Sapphire Bay development.
Sapphire Bay President Marc English shared the following statement.
“The cause of the structural fire is unknown at this time," he wrote. "My office is working diligently with the Mayor of Rowlett, Blake Margolis, and the Rowlett Fire Marshal, Thomas Cooper, to determine the cause of the fire. The timeline of the ongoing investigation is unknown at this point. The multifamily structure is being developed by Zale Properties, Inc out of Dallas, Texas. The building is unoccupied at this point and was very close to having certificates of occupancy (CO's) issued by the City of Rowlett so that prospective tenants could then take possession of the units and move-in. The fire event will not slow down other vertical construction projects that are already underway, or soon scheduled to be, at the Sapphire Bay project.”
Margolis and city leaders were at the scene Friday and Saturday, providing food and support for firefighters and Public Works.
“I want to shout out all the crews that have been here, all the firefighters have really spent many many hours, no sleep, barely food,” said Margolis. “No city wants to see a development go ablaze. No city wants to see that. So, it is unfortunate, but I fully suspect that they will work on recovery.”
Mayor Margolis said the cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
He also said those living near the building have not had to evacuate.