HOUSTON — Several people were rescued from balconies as Houston firefighters battled an apartment fire in the Greenspoint area on Monday afternoon.
According to the Houston Fire Department, around 3:15 p.m., the flames broke out at a complex on Plaza Verde Drive, which is just inside Beltway 8 along the southbound lanes of the North Freeway. At about 5:30 p.m., HFD said the fire had been extinguished.
HFD said four people had to be rescued from second- and third-floor balconies and two people were taken to area hospitals due to smoke inhalation. Residents said a pregnant woman and her boyfriend were the ones taken in for treatment. A firefighter was also treated at the scene for heat exhaustion.
People were asked to avoid the area due to heavy emergency vehicle traffic.
It's unclear what started the fire or how many units were damaged but investigators said it appeared that the fire started in a unit on the top floor.
Residents said they think about 16 people were impacted but everyone was able to get out and avoid serious injury.
KHOU 11 News Reporter Shern Min-Chow was heading to the scene to get more information.