Overview
- Officials identified the suspect as Crystal D. Randall and filed a reckless arson charge after Monday's fire at Southlake Villas in northeast Harris County.
- Fire crews said 13 units were heavily and irreparably damaged, though all residents got out safely.
- The blaze began when clothing was burned in a barbecue pit on a second-floor balcony during a domestic disturbance and later rekindled.
- A returning crew battled a hotspot when part of the second floor collapsed, injuring a fire captain who was hospitalized in stable condition.
- Responders reported a malfunctioning complex gate, water hydrants across the street, and wind-driven conditions that hindered suppression.