AUSTIN (KXAN) — Around 30 people lost their homes in a fire that damaged 16 units at an apartment complex in south Austin Tuesday morning.
The Austin Fire Department said on its X account at 2:15 a.m. that crews were working an apartment fire in the 4300 block of South First Street. AFD later confirmed it was at the Iconic at South First Apartments.
Crews were able to get the fire under control shortly before 3 a.m., according to a follow-up post from AFD. Three people were transported to hospitals by Austin-Travis County EMS, and one person self-transported. Another person was evaluated on the scene, per AFD.
Assistant Chief Tom Vocke said there was fire damage to four units, and water and smoke damage to 12 units. He said the fire department believes the fire started in a vacant unit, and investigators will work to determine the official cause of the fire when the sun comes up.
AFD told KXAN Tuesday morning that approximately 30 people were displaced as a result of the fire. Those people will be assisted by assisted by Central Texas Red Cross and the Austin Police Department Victim Services unit, according to AFD.
"The main thing for getting out of these apartments and making sure that you're safe is making sure you have working smoke detectors," Vocke said. "It's a big deal to have working smoke detectors, and that saves lives. And in this case, the smoke detectors were able to alert some of the neighbors that were able to get out safely."
