One killed in apartment fire in Denton early Sunday morning
One person died in an apartment building fire in Denton early Sunday morning, according to a news release from the Denton Fire Department.
Crews responded shortly before 2 a.m. to a 2-alarm fire at the Ridgecrest Apartments the 1200 block of Dallas Drive, where they rescued one person but were unable to save another. More than 20 people in the two-story, 16-unit building were displaced, and the Red Cross was notified to find housing for the residents.
Neighbors told KXAS-TV that the man who died was Roy Malone, a Vietnam veteran who lived alone.
A 911 caller told emergency dispatch that there were several people trapped on upper floors by the fire who were unable to evacuate, according to the fire department. The first fire engine and ambulance arrived on scene within six minutes and reported heavy fire conditions and multiple people trapped, the release said.
During their search crews rescued one person from a second-story unit and found Malone dead.
The fire was declared under control around 2:50 a.m. Sunday.
The Fire Marshal’s Office has ruled the cause of the fire undetermined “due to the number of possible heat sources and a large volume of contents in the apartment,” the release said.
This story was originally published December 3, 2023 at 2:47 PM.