SAN ANTONIO – Two people were hospitalized in critical condition, and multiple people were rescued from their balconies during a fire at an apartment complex north of downtown, according to San Antonio Fire Department Chief Charles Hood.
The call was reported in the 900 block of Huisache at the Blanco Apartments complex on Tuesday night.
Hood said the fire started in a unit on the third floor. He said the cause was unknown, but investigators were at the scene.
The fire caused a lot of smoke to fill the building, forcing tenants to their balconies for fresh air, Hood said. He said crews used a ladder to rescue a 98-year-old woman and 15-20 people on the second, third and fourth floors.
A third alarm was called in case there was a need for more staffing, Hood said.
Watch Hood’s news conference below:
SAFD is clearing every room for carbon monoxide and working with SAHA to find somewhere to stay for those displaced.
Crews will be working into the later hours of the night, Hood said.
KSAT will update you with the latest information as it becomes available.