Residents Of NW OKC Apartment Complex Left Homeless From 3-Alarm Fire

Residents of a northwest Oklahoma City apartment complex escaped a fire with only a minute's notice crediting a quick-acting maintenance man for saving their lives.

Police had the street in front of the complex near Council Road and Britton Road blocked off to traffic while Oklahoma City fire crews battled the three-alarm fire. Residents watched as the fire destroyed everything they owned.

Flames and smoke quickly filled a building at the Retreat at Riverbend apartments Friday afternoon.

“It’s kind of unusual when a fire comes in at 11 a.m. to be this involved,” said Captain John Chenoweth, Oklahoma City Fire Department.

Some residents were asleep when they heard a banging on their door. The maintenance man went through the building warning everyone to get out.

“Had he not knocked I probably would have died before the fire got there because there was a lot of smoke,” said Johnathan Perry, a resident.

They had only minutes to grab precious belongings. “I got my grandpa’s picture, he passed away, so I have that,” said Kyle Winter, a resident. “My birth certificate, my social security card, and my phone.”

Everyone but one person was able to escape on their own. “Our first arriving ladder company located the victim,” said Chenoweth. “Like I said the first story window, they were able to pull him out of that window. He did suffer some cuts on his arm, but he was treated and released on scene.”

Residents watched from the sidelines as fire crews battled intense smoke and flames.

“Like 300 feet away you could totally feel the flames,” said Winter. “It was so hot.”

Witnesses told fire crews it appeared the flames started on a patio balcony on the first floor and quickly spread upstairs. “The roof did collapse, we did have a balcony collapse,” said Chenoweth.

Bob Mills Sky News 9 flew over the scene as fire crews put out hot spots.

Residents with insurance are hopeful they will be able to replace everything they lost. “I lost everything,” said Winter. “I don’t even have shoes.”

Fire officials said 16 units in total were damaged and eight of those were completely destroyed. A car was also damaged by the fire.

Fire investigators will determine the cause of the fire. However, at this time they do not think it was intentionally set.