ABC13 first heard a call at about 5:30 a.m. from emergency responders for a fire coming from the building in the 3900 block of Synott Road at Ashford Point.
Views from SkyEye showed flames pouring through the roof and firefighters on ladder trucks working to douse them. Houston TranStar cameras at one point showed thick, black smoke billowing into the sky.
Despite that, the fire was contained to one building at the complex, affecting 24 units, said Houston Fire Department Asst. Chief James Campbell, adding that two other buildings had slight damage, but the flames didn't spread.
"Me and my fiancée we were just lying down -- it was around 5:30 when we first started hearing a lot of loud noises, and then she was up and then I was up," resident Randy Mbouge told ABC13. "She asked me, 'Do you hear that? All the commotion?' I was like, 'I guess.' Then all of a sudden we heard one of the residents start saying 'Fire, fire, fire. Everyone, get out of your apartment. Fire, fire, fire.'"
At one point, more than 100 firefighters were on scene battling the flames. Thankfully, no one was hurt.
Floors and the roof of the building collapsed, Campbell said.
"Nobody is going to be going into that building," HFD Dep. Chief James Pennington said. "It's a total loss. That's why we have the caution tape out -- it's to keep people away."
Crews will be at the site throughout the day putting out hotspots. Pennington said Wednesday's high heat will be a concern for firefighters, but he said they will be monitoring them.
A Red Cross spokesperson told ABC13 that 17 families were displaced from their homes and are receiving help.
Seven of the families that lost their homes are being relocated to vacant units within the complex. The organization has also opened a shelter for the other 10 families.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
"We don't think it's suspicious or criminal intent, but it's still being investigated," Pennington added.
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