Fire at a Texas Apartment Complex Causes Hundreds of Evacuations

CEDAR PARK, Texas (AP) __ A fire with flames shooting up to 60 feet (18 meters) in the air damaged an apartment complex and condominiums near Austin, Texas, and forced hundreds of residents from their homes but caused no major injuries, authorities said.

The fire was reported about 6:15 p.m. Tuesday as a grass fire, Cedar Park Fire Chief James Mallinger said during a news conference.

“The wind moved this fire quickly … it went around the apartment complex, around the condos complex” before crossing a road where it was stopped, according to Mallinger.

The city said in a statement early Wednesday that just one minor injury was reported after about 300 apartments, 95 townhomes and several businesses were evacuated.

Firefighters remained on the scene Wednesday, according to the statement.

The fire burned about 50 acres (20 hectares), according to the statement, and displaced residents were offered shelter at a nearby church.

Cedar Park is located on the northern edge of Austin, about 170 miles (274 kilometers) southwest of Dallas.