More than 24 hours after a large fire tore through an Oak Cliff apartment building, the cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
Sunday’s fire at the Casa De Loma Apartments in the 100 block of North Randolph Drive initially displaced more than 50 families, many of which were able to return home once power was restored.
Still, 13 families were without a place to call home Monday evening after flames or water damaged their apartments.
Lauren Williams, who was inside her apartment near the unit where the fire started, lost everything.
“I was just sitting down watching the Cowboys game,” Williams said. “I was looking out the window, and I seen a blaze and a fire, and I just jumped up and I was like, 'Everybody get out! Everybody get out!' And as soon as I said that the window busted and flames just started rushing in the apartment.”
Williams said her four children were at church at the time, but her mother and sister were at home asleep as flames moved toward the apartment. Williams said she yelled to wake them up.
“They just got up trying to see what I was talking about, but I was just pushing them out, pushing them out because the fire just blazed in so fast, like a scary movie or something,” Williams said.
Williams and her family lost everything in the fire, including pets she was unable to save from the fire.
“When you say everything, people don’t really understand what you mean by everything,” Williams said. “Yes, I am happy for my life that I have, but I have nothing, nothing but the clothes on my back, nothing.”
Williams' clothing, ID and keys all burned in the fire, and she’s worried she won’t be able to go to work.
The American Red Cross provided her family a place to stay Sunday and Monday nights, but Williams said she’ll have to rely on friends later in the week.
