Updated 7:24 p.m.
Shelter closes, Family Assistance Center open until 8 p.m. and tomorrow
The shelter operations at the San Marcos Activity Center are complete as no displaced residents requested overnight shelter, and the center will open for normal operations at 10 a.m. Saturday. The city of San Marcos said the Family Assistance Center at Westover Baptist Church, 1310 Advance St., will close at 8 p.m. tonight and open again 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.
Updated 7:09 p.m.
Fire personnel still on scene
More than 14 hours after the initial call, firefighters and emergency personnel are still on the scene of the apartment fire at it continues to smolder. The city of San Marcos said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives National Response Team, a resource available to local agencies dealing with fires this size, will lead the investigation into the cause of the fire beginning Saturday morning.
Updated 6:52 p.m.
Texas State has help available
The Texas State University Office of Safety & Emergency Communications announced several programs available to students impacted by the apartment fire north of campus. The university shared information about student emergency services, emergency funds, housing referrals, counseling and donations to the student emergency fund. More information about the services can be found
here.
Updated 4:27 p.m.
Looking for these 5 people
Five individuals are unaccounted for from the fire at the Iconic Village Apartments and Vintage Pads Apartments this morning. If you have any information regarding these individuals, call the information hotline at 512-754-2291 as soon as possible.
Those unaccounted for include:
James Miranda
Haley Frizzell
Belinda Moats
David Ortiz
Dru Estes
Updated 4:22 p.m.
Access for residents
All buildings at Iconic Village and Building L at Vintage Pads apartments will be closed Friday night with no access to residents. Limited access to Iconic Village Buildings 100 and 700 will be available to residents beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday. An online signup will be available on both the city's Facebook page and Iconic Village's Facebook page for residents to sign up for a 30-minute time slot. Sign up will be available to 10 people for each 30-minute time slot.
Updated 4:20 p.m.
Three released from hospital
Three of the six injured people from the fire have been released from Central Texas Medical Center in San Marcos. Firefighters remain on the scene searching buildings as heat and smoke allow. One person suffered critical injuries and is at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.
Updated 4:16 p.m.
San Marcos River reopens at 5 p.m.
According to the city of San Marcos, the water quality samples have passed state standards for contaminates, but the river remained closed in the city limits as a precaution as debris washed into the river. The river reopens at 5 p.m. and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality worked with city staff to make sure there is no environmental impact to the river from the fire.
Updated 2:28 p.m.
Shelter accepting displaced pets
The San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter is accepting pets of residents displaced by the morning fire at Iconic Village Apartments and Vintage Pads Apartments. The shelter will provide temporary safekeeping for the pets.
Power has been restored to the neighborhood around the fire. It was disconnected to aid firefighting efforts earlier this morning.
Updated 10:52 a.m.
Debris closes San Marcos River in the city
City officials said apartment debris has made its way to the San Marcos River and will close the river to swimming and other activities in the city limits until further notice. Signs are being posted near the affected areas.
Several agencies are taking donations. More information about that
here.
Updated 10:21 a.m.
Video shows apartments engulfed by flames
Community Impact Newspaper received video from a neighbor of the Iconic Village Apartments, where three buildings were destroyed by fire early Friday morning. Video by Ricard Skanse.
Updated: 8:47 a.m.
Resident saw people jumping from windows
Melody Ito, a junior at Texas State University, said she escaped the early morning fire in Building 5 of Iconic Village Apartments. She told Community Impact Newspaper she saw people jumping from the second-floor windows.
Ito said she saw smoke and flames in her apartment after she left and had no insurance on her belongings.
Other witnesses said they saw the roofs and walls collapse on buildings 1, 3 and 5.
Original post
The San Marcos police and fire departments have been on the scene of a structure fire at Iconic Village Apartments since early this morning.
Flames engulfed part of the student housing complex on the north side of the Texas State University Campus, at 222 Ramsay St. The city of San Marcos confirmed six people have been transported to area hospitals.
Residents are asked to avoid the area around North LBJ Drive between Younger Street and Walnut Street, East Bluebonnet Drive and Walnut Street and Clark Street and Walnut Street as crews battle the fire.
Community Impact Newspaper will provide updates as they become available.