Overview

• Shortly before 11 p.m. on May 28, Houston firefighters responded to a two-alarm blaze at Independence Hall Apartments near Burress Street and Airline Drive.
• Eighty firefighters from 15 stations quickly contained heavy flames originating on the second floor of the assisted living complex.
• Three residents were hospitalized, including one who jumped from a window to escape, and crews discovered one fatality during a secondary search.
• Many tenants are handicapped, requiring crews to focus on rescue operations as well as fire suppression.
• HFD’s arson investigators continue probing the cause while the American Red Cross Texas Gulf Coast supports displaced residents.