Texas chimney fighters had to take a truck to the water to put out a chimney in northern Bexar County that lasted 14 hours.
Texas surpassed snow and record temperatures this week, prompting water outages in critical chimney hydrants and lack of drinking water.
The flames erupt around 1 p. m. on Thursday in a second-floor apartment in Cortland View in the construction of the TPC apartment in San Antonio. Part of the construction collapsed on Thursday night.
Authorities said 15 tanker trucks were brought in to put out the chimney after they knew the sources of the assets were empty.
The trucks took turns filling themselves with water from the hydrants of public chimneys about 2000 feet from the fireplace. Each truck carries between 2,000 and 3,000 gallons of water and can be depleted in minutes.
“When we tried to get water out of the building’s chimney hydranant, it was seded,” Bexar Bulverde’s fire chief Jerry Bialick told ABC News.
The water had been restored to the assets on Friday afternoon.
The fire crews worked throughout the night and the main frame of the chimney was turned off at 2:30 a. m. Friday. The boats are still on the scene putting hot spots.
“There’s a lot left. There’s something recoverable,” Bialick said.
Approximately 130 more people were evacuated from the area. No injuries were reported.
Authorities said the fireplace had razed only the 40-unit apartment complex and that firefighters should prevent it from spreading to nearby buildings.
Residents said they won an alert to turn off their water heaters. Moments later, the chimney exploded, according to ABC’s subsidiary, KSAT.
Bialick said citizens had been taken to a gymnasium and hotel in one of the best nearby schools to stay warm and take refuge. The Bexar Bulverde Fire Department arranged transfers to take the sick to safety.
“We still regret the loss of residents. There have been massive efforts on the net,” Bialick said.
The Red Cross told ABC News that its workers had helped 88 others fight the fire, offering monetary assistance for “food, clothing and a place to stay,” as well as hygiene pieces and medical and intellectual services.
About 125 firefighters from thirteen other departments responded to the site.
According to the map of the San Antonio Water System, the apartment complex had a water outage at the time of the fireplace and citizens said they had no water.
The Bexar County Fire Chief’s Office said it would investigate the fire.
Until Friday morning, more than 188,000 Texas were still in power.
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