A family is working to help their daughter after flames engulfed her apartment complex building Monday night.
Shirley Niedzwiecki's daughter is one of fourteen people displaced after a fire broke out in one of the buildings inside the Balcones Woods apartment complex.
"I don't think anything is going to be salvageable,” said Niedzwiecki.
It’s a place she didn’t get to call home for long. “Two or three weeks, I think we were moving her in about three weeks,” said Niedzwiecki.
Over 80 Austin firefighters battled the flames on Monday night, which started on a second-floor balcony. AFD said the fire originated on the second-floor balcony and extended to the attic. The cause has been ruled accidental, but investigators could not confirm the exact reason.
"At about 8 P.M. due to the amount of fire involvement and numerous apartments in the attic, we went to a defensive posture,” said Brandon Wade, assistant chief with Austin Fire Department.
Austin Fire says eight units in the building are a total loss. Two firefighters were treated for minor injuries at the hospital and have been released.
Austin Fire provided this update on social media Tuesday afternoon:
This three-alarm fire last night at an apartment complex in northwest Austin kept our C-shift crews busy for most of the evening.
Starting on a balcony on the second floor, the blaze spread quickly into the attic via some wicker furniture and then it was off to the races from there. The building was a total loss, with the floor collapsing from the weight of all the water used to fight the fire. Fourteen individuals were displaced from eight units, and two of our firefighters were transported (and have since been released) by our partners at Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services for non-life-threatening injuries. Although the cause was deemed accidental, investigators could not determine the exact reason between two potential ignition sources in the area of origin. Including the building and all the contents, approximately $4 million in damage was done.
Firefighters swept and evacuated the units, and no loss of life has been reported.
“They have two cats. One of them has shown up. A little baby kitten and we haven’t found body so we’re really, really hoping that, his name is Bug, we’re really hoping that Bug is okay,” said Niedzwiecki.
Above all, Niedzwiecki is grateful her daughter’s night was spent out celebrating a friend’s birthday and not at home. “I sincerely believe my daughter was protected by not being here,” said Niedzwiecki.
The family has set up a GoFundMe for the daughter to help after the fire.