HARRIS COUNTY – A woman was taken into custody after a domestic dispute led to an apartment fire in northeast Harris County, according to the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office.
The fire spread to 13 units at the South Lake Villas Apartments.
Investigators said the woman was involved in a domestic dispute with her boyfriend, which led her to burn his clothes in a barbecue pit on the apartment patio. Although the fire was initially put out, it reportedly reignited and spread into the attic space before extending to other units in Building 13.
Fire marshals said the building is irreparably damaged, and residents are not allowed to return to the property to retrieve belongings due to structural collapse concerns.
The woman is facing one count of reckless arson.
Monday evening, firefighters were back out at the scene after the fire rekindled. As firefighters were putting out the fire again, one firefighter was injured after falling through the ceiling of the second floor. He was transported to a hospital.
The Channelview Fire Department, Westfield Fire Department, Crosby Fire Department, and ESD No. 12 (formerly the Cloverleaf Fire Department) assisted Harris County Emergency Services District No. 60 in responding to the fire.
The scene remains under investigation.
KPRC 2 Reporter Corley Peel was out at the complex Monday evening and spoke to neighbors who were seen moving the few items they managed to salvage.
“I actually almost had a panic attack, honestly. My kids was shaking, you, know, asking my mama, the house is gone,” said Shanteria White.
White responded after being told the fire started after a woman got mad at her boyfriend.
“I honestly don’t understand how no person can do that. You know, it’s people around you. It’s kids around you,” she said. “It is nothing worth, you know, losing your life over, going to jail over, it just is not worth it.”
Now, dozens of people including White are without a home.
“I worked so hard for my stuff. So to know that everything’s just gone in a blink of an eye is kind of devastating. It’s terrible when you didn’t do it, and it happened for somebody else,” she said.
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