Man smoking in bed sparks north Houston apartment fire

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A north Houston man who was smoking in bed last night ended up burning his apartment to the ground.

Firefighters rushed to the Columns Apartments along the Eastex Freeway at Collingsworth just after 3:30am.

A man says he was smoking a cigarette in his bed when his mattress caught fire. He escaped the apartment, but did have some minor burns on his face. The man says he tried to put the fire out himself.

"I think I lost everything," he said. "I don't know what happened. When I looked up, the fire extinguisher -- I tried to get the fire extinguisher, and it didn't work."

The fire damaged six others apartments. The Red Cross is helping displaced residents.