John Garcia arrived at the Tower Point Condominiums to see what was happening after smelling smoke from a friend’s house.
When he got there, he saw flames coming from a 12-unit apartment building in the middle of the complex.
“It was kinda chaos,” said Garcia.
RELATED: Residents urged to inspect chimneys after fire devastates Tower Point Condominiums
Garcia recorded video as he ran up to the burning apartment building. In the footage, flames can be seen on the roof. Fire officials say they believe the fire started in a chimney and then spread to the roof.
“The entire chimney itself was on fire,” said Joe Arrington with the San Antonio Fire Department.
When firefighters arrived, they immediately began evacuating people from the building. The apartment building was located in the center of the complex, just feet away from other buildings. One of those nearby residents was Kaitlyn Kennedy, whose apartment is right next door.
“The windows are gonna be really smoky, and there might be some warping to those too,” said Kennedy.
Eventually, the third floor of the building collapsed into the second floor. That’s when firefighters moved into a defensive position, spraying water from ladder trucks.
“There was a couple with their kids that just got out of the house,” said Garcia. “She was barefooted. I think the husband just got home.”
Fire officials say no one was hurt, and no other buildings caught fire.
“If the wind was going the other way, it probably would have been a lot different,” said neighbor Ellen Jensen.
Red Cross representatives say everyone who lost there home has a place to sleep. If you are affected by the fire and need help you can reach out to 800-733-2767.