Overnight Apartment Fire Claims Two Lives

2805 E. Ledbetter Drive

14 pieces of heavy fire equipment, 56 firefighters

1^st alarm – 01:56 a.m.
2^nd alarm – 02:02 a.m.
3^rd alarm – 02:06 a..m.
Under control @ 02:36 a.m.

Under investigation

2 Fatalities – 1 male, approximately 55 years old and 1 female, approximately 40 years old.

$50,000 – structure
$15,000 – contents

Dallas Police Officers responding to a 9-1-1 hang up call found smoke coming from an upstairs apartment unit with reports of people still trapped inside and immediately called for a fire response.  First arriving firefighters reported fire coming from the windows on the second floor and requested a 2^nd alarm.  Four residents were inside the apartment when the fire broke out.  The male victim escaped by jumping from a 2^nd story window, although he had sustained serious burns.  An adult female resident and small child were both able to escape without injury.  The female victim was found in a bathroom, and was removed from the apartment by firefighters.  Both victims were transported to Baylor University Medical Center in critical condition, where they later died as a result of their injuries.  The victims’ names are not being released at this time.

 The fire reached three alarms before being brought under control in about 40 minutes.  All other neighboring residents were able to escape without injury.  Two apartments on the second floor suffered heavy fire damage, and three surrounding units have varying degrees of smoke and water damage.  As a result of the fire, the power has been shut off to the entire building, which has 12 occupied units.  Apartment management and volunteers from the American Red Cross are working together to find temporary accommodations for 24 displaced residents.

 The cause of the fire is still under investigation at this time.