Odessa Apartment Fire Leaves 29 Homeless
By: Jackie Smith
Updated: December 3, 2010
A grease fire ripped through eight units at South Gate Apartments in Odessa early this afternoon.
after almost an hour firefighters were able to put out the fire.
Now several families are looking for another place to stay.
Everyone was able to get out safely from the burning complex.
The fire started in a building that has eight seperate apartments.
What we know is that the fire completely destroyed two of the top units, where officials believe the grease fire started.
It also caused water and smoke damage to the others.
We spoke to some of the victims who say, they are just grateful to know their family is ok.
"Everything else can be replaced my wife and son can't," said Mario Rodriguez.
The Rodriguez family lost everything else.
A grease fire here at south gate apartments quickly blazed through the other seven units surronding it.
Leaving 29 people homeless.
"We haven't been able to go up there and look. I have no idea. hopefully we saved something if not well were moving on," said Rodriguez.
"My wife side I know what we need for Christmas a bed, couch, whatever," said Greg Bunch.
According to the Red Cross there have been seven fires just like this one in this past week alone.
Something they've come to expect as the temperature drops.
"We had seven fires this week and now we add eight more units. This is our main fire season. Primiarlily cause we are turning on heaters, Christmas candles for great scents," said Tonya Hancock for the Red Cross.
Maria Anaya lives at South Gate and shot pictures of the fire on her phone.
Images that seem even worse this time of year.
"Sad because its the holidays, it just seems everytime the holidays happen something like this happens. I asked them if they needed anything the older lady said yes I need a house," said Maria Anaya.
But even though he lost his home and possessions, this veteran says he still has plenty to be thankful for.
"There was nothing else I cared about but my family I spent time in the Marine Corps in Iraq. I know what its like. You always see it on TV that people loose there house. But it's happened and you move forward," said Rodriguez.
The Red Cross has been on scene helping these victims.
They have been giving them food vouchers to buy things like groceries and diapers.
They also told me that south gate is going to re-locate all the people involved to their sister apartment complex.
Even though this was a grease fire, the red cross is urging everyone to be careful when using candles or space heaters.
Also, because of the massive amount of emergencies they've had to deal with, they are in desperate need of more volunteers.
For more information on how you can help, visit the Red Cross website at http://www.arcswtx.org/.
after almost an hour firefighters were able to put out the fire.
Now several families are looking for another place to stay.
Everyone was able to get out safely from the burning complex.
The fire started in a building that has eight seperate apartments.
What we know is that the fire completely destroyed two of the top units, where officials believe the grease fire started.
It also caused water and smoke damage to the others.
We spoke to some of the victims who say, they are just grateful to know their family is ok.
"Everything else can be replaced my wife and son can't," said Mario Rodriguez.
The Rodriguez family lost everything else.
A grease fire here at south gate apartments quickly blazed through the other seven units surronding it.
Leaving 29 people homeless.
"We haven't been able to go up there and look. I have no idea. hopefully we saved something if not well were moving on," said Rodriguez.
"My wife side I know what we need for Christmas a bed, couch, whatever," said Greg Bunch.
According to the Red Cross there have been seven fires just like this one in this past week alone.
Something they've come to expect as the temperature drops.
"We had seven fires this week and now we add eight more units. This is our main fire season. Primiarlily cause we are turning on heaters, Christmas candles for great scents," said Tonya Hancock for the Red Cross.
Maria Anaya lives at South Gate and shot pictures of the fire on her phone.
Images that seem even worse this time of year.
"Sad because its the holidays, it just seems everytime the holidays happen something like this happens. I asked them if they needed anything the older lady said yes I need a house," said Maria Anaya.
But even though he lost his home and possessions, this veteran says he still has plenty to be thankful for.
"There was nothing else I cared about but my family I spent time in the Marine Corps in Iraq. I know what its like. You always see it on TV that people loose there house. But it's happened and you move forward," said Rodriguez.
The Red Cross has been on scene helping these victims.
They have been giving them food vouchers to buy things like groceries and diapers.
They also told me that south gate is going to re-locate all the people involved to their sister apartment complex.
Even though this was a grease fire, the red cross is urging everyone to be careful when using candles or space heaters.
Also, because of the massive amount of emergencies they've had to deal with, they are in desperate need of more volunteers.
For more information on how you can help, visit the Red Cross website at http://www.arcswtx.org/.
