People who lost everything in a Fort Worth apartment building fire on Friday night are trying to figure out what comes next.
The fire broke out around 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 15 in a complex near 8900 Randol Mill Road. On Sunday, NBC 5 spoke with some who escaped the flames and hope to get back on their feet.
Standing in front of what's left of his apartment building, Ornando Watford said he couldn’t help feeling a sense of relief.
“Just grateful I got out,” said Watford. “Honestly, it was a close call. I'm glad I wasn’t asleep or anything like that.”
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On Friday night, massive flames engulfed his building. As firefighters tried to knock down the blaze, the roof collapsed.
“Took us about an hour to bring the fire under control,” said Craig Trojacek with the Fort Worth Fire Department. “I think all in all, there are about 16 units that were affected by either fire, smoke, or water damage.”
Investigators said they didn’t encounter anyone injured in the incident.
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The fire broke out across the hall from Watford’s unit, where he was alerted by the sound of wood crackling.
“I actually look into the peephole first, and I can kind of see a light from the flames,” Watford said.
He called 911 and rushed out, banging on doors to warn other residents to evacuate.
Once safely downstairs, he could only watch as the fire spread to his apartment, destroying his home and his work.
“I’m a graphic designer, and then I was also just starting to be an artist as well,” said Watford. “So, I had a good amount of pieces that I had made and put time and love into that are in there.”
Showcasing his work on his Instagram page “Layerstothis_,” Watford said many of his pieces are motivational and aim to inspire others to keep going.
He’s embracing that mindset now as he relies on family and friends to get through this setback.
“You know, things can be replaced, but I can’t,” he told NBC 5.
On Sunday, the Fort Worth Fire Department said the cause of the fire was still under investigation.
