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Fireworks Suspected in Houston Condo Blaze as Short‑Term Rental Parties End in Shootings

Authorities emphasize fireworks are illegal in Houston, with short‑term rental rules newly in force.

Overview

  • Houston Fire Department says a pre‑dawn blaze destroyed a building at Bayou West Condominiums, damaging roughly 16–20 units and displacing about 60 residents, with no serious injuries reported.
  • Investigators are focusing on fireworks as the likely ignition source and say crews found multiple boxes of fireworks, with witnesses reporting an aerial rocket landed on a balcony before flames erupted.
  • Low water pressure initially prevented aerial firefighting, forcing crews to use hand lines from the ground until pressure recovered; the cause of the pressure issue was not immediately known.
  • In the Third Ward, Houston police report five people were shot at a large short‑term rental party near Live Oak and Elgin, including two victims in critical condition, and investigators say witness cooperation has been limited.
  • Police later reported at least five people were injured at a separate north Houston short‑term rental party on Yorkshire Street, with one man in critical condition and a search underway using nearby camera footage.