Lubbock Stratford Place Apartments building demolished after fire
Stratford Place Apartments building demolished after fire
Smoke still lingered in the air Sunday afternoon as Mary Acy watched family members salvage what they could from their apartments that were gutted or damaged in a two-alarm fire earlier that morning in west Lubbock.
Several of her family members were among the more than two dozen people who Lubbock Fire Rescue officials confirmed were displaced by the fire that also injured a firefighter about 4 a.m. Sunday at the Stratford Place apartments in the 4900 block of 4th Street.
That included her granddaughter and her three-month-old great-grandson, Pierce, who had lived in one of the second-floor apartments that was consumed by the blaze.
By Sunday afternoon, they were still assessing their losses, including clothes, toys, furniture and more that were ruined.
“They lost everything that belongs to a baby – they lost everything,” Acy said, acknowledging their resources were going to be limited after the blaze. “I know they’ll need help. They definitely need some size-one Pampers.”
Acy’s daughter lives in a downstairs apartment that saw heavy smoke and water damage.
“My daughter’s apartment has a lot of stuff that was damaged – wet furniture and clothes and other things,” she said, shortly before LFR personnel who were still at the scene about 4 p.m. Sunday told her family they wouldn’t be able to go back in the downstairs unit for fear of a floor collapse.
By Sunday evening, the impacted building was being demolished after it was condemned by city officials, said Marc McDougal, CEO of McDougal Companies, which owns the property.
Speaking at the property Sunday evening as the building was being razed, McDougal said 17 of the building’s 20 units were occupied at the time of the blaze and that all of the tenants had renters insurance.
Still, McDougal said, he was thankful for the immediate assistance the Red Cross was providing for those who were in need, and said options to place impacted residents in other units or apartments were being explored.
LFR battles west Lubbock apartment fire
Lubbock Fire Rescue crews responded just after 4 a.m. to a 911 call reporting smoke inside a unit in the Stratford Place Apartments in the 4900 block of 4th Street, according to a statement from LFR.
As crews were en route, additional calls came into the dispatch center reporting the same situation.
Upon arrival, crews found a large two-story apartment complex with heavy smoke coming from the roof.
Firefighters quickly began operations, with some crews making entry into the affected units while others worked to evacuate residents from the building.
Inside, crews located the fire, but they also observed early signs of a roof collapse. The fire spread rapidly due to a shared attic space, making containment more challenging, according to LFR. As the fire broke through the roof, officials ordered a second alarm and directed all units to evacuate and transition to a defensive strategy.
Aerial operations were initiated, and master streams were deployed to control the fire. During this phase, several air conditioning units on the roof fell through, and multiple sections of the roof collapsed.
“Despite these challenges, the fire was extinguished with no civilian injuries,” reads the statement from LFR.
One firefighter suffered an injury during operations and was taken to University Medical Center. Hospital, where they were treated and later released.
“Unfortunately, while crews were able to rescue a cat from the apartment, it did not survive due to smoke inhalation,” reads the statement.
Approximately 25 residents were displaced due to the fire, and the South Plains Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting those in need. It was not immediately clear what sparked the blaze. The Lubbock Fire Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office is currently investigating the cause of the fire.
Thankful for safety, support after Lubbock apartment fire
Acy, who lives in nearby but un-impacted unit in the same complex, said she didn’t know what may have sparked the blaze.
She said she’d gotten home earlier Sunday morning after bringing a nearby apartment resident home from his shift working at a south Lubbock McDonald’s.
“I went to sleep, next thing I knew I heard people saying there was a fire,” she said, adding she was thankful her family and others were able to evacuate safely.
She said her family was thankful for the immediate support they and others received from the American Red Cross in Lubbock, including a Walmart gift card.
Acy said she expected her daughter, granddaughter, great-grandson and others would likely be staying with her in her two-bedroom apartment for the time being.
“We’re going to make it work,” she said. “It’s my big family. God’s going to make a way.”
More information about the American Red Cross in Lubbock, including how to donate, is available by calling 806) 765-8534 or going to https://www.redcross.org/.
Alice J. Roden started working for Trending Insurance News at the end of 2021. Alice grew up in Salt Lake City, UT. A writer with a vast insurance industry background Alice has help with several of the biggest insurance companies. Before joining Trending Insurance News, Alice briefly worked as a freelance journalist for several radio stations. She covers home, renters and other property insurance stories.