On what could be the coldest night of the season, about three dozen residents spent some time outdoors. Around 7:30 pm, residents grabbed pets and jackets as they were forced to evacuate the second floor of their building.
When the fire broke out, 40 firefighters responded to the scene at the five-story building. Although it only took a matter of minutes to put out the blaze, officials feared they would have a massive evacuation on their hands.
Assistant Chief Omero Longoria with the Houston Fire Department said, "You have an occupancy of over 100 people here at this facility. We were concerned with rescue."
There were no rescue efforts needed. No one was injured.
It's believed the fire began with a cigarette that was dropped on a lounge chair in a unit on the second floor. That resident has been relocated to another unit. All evacuated residents were allowed back in to their homes.
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