Grapevine apartments damaged by blaze

Fire raced through the attic of two apartment buildings Wednesday morning, heavily damaging about 18 units, but no residents or firefighters were injured, Fire Chief Darrell Brown said.

Firefighters got the alarm at 11:40 a.m. at a complex in the 2800 block of Mustang Drive, near Grapevine High School. By the time firefighters arrived, fire was moving through the attic of the building.

“It spread to other units pretty quickly,” Brown said.

Firefighters from Bedford, Keller, Lewisville, Colleyville, Flower Mound, Euless and DFW Airport assisted with the fire. A total of 12 engines and six ladder trucks had the blaze under control in about 30 minutes, Brown said.

The roofs and second-floor units of two of the complex’s three buildings were heavily damaged.

The fire likely started in the kitchen of a second-floor apartment, Brown said.

GRACE and the American Red Cross were assisting about eight displaced families who were sheltered at Compass Christian Church on Wednesday night, according to Shonda Schaefer, executive director of GRACE.

“We have about 25 people,” Schaefer said. “Eight are children and three are under six months.”

Schaefer said the Red Cross was providing food, cots and other immediate needs while GRACE would provide for “longer term needs.”

GRACE (Grapevine Relief and Community Exchange), is a nonprofit relief agency.

Schaefer said financial assistance would be welcome, and donations can be made on the group’s website.

GRACE is also coordinating with the Grapevine Police Department’s Community Outreach Center.

Staff writer Marty Sabota contributed to this report.

This story was originally published May 18, 2016 at 4:24 PM with the headline "Grapevine apartments damaged by blaze."