3-alarm fire at southwest Houston apartment complex

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- SkyEyeHD was over a three-alarm fire at an apartment complex in southwest Houston. No injuries are reported at this time.

The fire is in the 7800 block of Rue Carre, at the Maison De Ville apartments. Several residents were home when they heard and smelled danger.

"There was an explosion on the second unit and I started smelling smoke," Resident Kody Hicks said.

Within eight minutes of the first firefighters arriving, a second alarm was pulled, then a third.

"As you can hear in the background saws, axes, very labor intensive work trying to stop this fire inside these walls. We have men on ground ladders and aerial ladders and lots of water being poured on this building," said Jay Evans, spokesman with the Houston Fire Department.

Eight units were destroyed at the complete on Braeburn Valley Drive and most of the residents lost everything they own.

"I don't know if it's totally set in yet. It's a pretty rough feeling honestly. I feel homeless right now so I've got to figure out what to do next," Resident David Oppman said.

While there were tears and confusion, neighbors were thankful they were all out of the building now full of smoke.

"It's very upsetting I thank God nobody got hurt. You can replace buildings but you can't replace people. I just thank God nobody got hurt," Regina Rigsby said.

Arson investigators are on scene but have not determined a cause of the fire at this time.