SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio firefighters spent two hours Thursday afternoon battling an apartment fire on the city’s Northeast Side that officials said left 63 residents without a place to call home.
The intense fire, which was reported around 12:30 p.m. in the 12600 block of Uhr Lane, destroyed eight units and damaged more than 12 others at the Avistar at the Crest apartments.
“All I have is my phone, my kids, my dog, that’s it. And I’m thankful for that," said Ousman Hosein, one of the residents displaced by the fire.
Judy Diaz and her son, who is bound to a wheelchair, along with their two dogs, were able to escape safely, but they don’t have much left to salvage.
“I’ve never been in a fire before. It’s just overwhelming," she said.
The Red Cross is helping the displaced residents find a temporary place to stay.
Some residents believe the fire may have been caused by a barbecue grill on a balcony, but the official cause is still under investigation.
WATCH: Drone video of the apartment fire Courtesy: Kelvin Williams