Firefighters rescue woman trapped in west Houston apartment fire

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Firefighters rescued a woman trapped in her apartment this morning.

It happened at the West Chase Ranch Apartments on Hayes Road. One resident taken to the hospital, others fleeing for their lives.

Resident Esther Ehirim tells Eyewitness News, "We just smelled smoke and we just saw the fire coming from the other apartment and we had to get out."

Just before 1:30am, residents of the West Chase Ranch Apartments woke up to smoke and flames.

Ehirim said, "My mom, she woke up and she smelled it and she woke up and she got me up and I ran and got my baby and I came out."

But one resident was not so lucky. She was unable to escape the flames on her own. Trapped in her apartment she called 911.

Houston Fire Department's Curtis Williams said, "She was trapped in her closet, we got on the location and we were able to extricate her and she was transported to the hospital in stable condition."

Four units were damaged in the fire. The Red Cross is here helping those who lost their apartments and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.