More than 800 residents were displaced due to the historic fire last month.
FORT WORTH, Texas — More than 800 Fort Worth residents are still recovering after a massive fire left them displaced from their homes last month, and now the governor of Texas is trying to get them more help.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Wednesday he has requested a disaster declaration from the U.S. Small Business Administration for Texans impacted by the apartment complex fire last month. If approved, federal assistance would be made available through disaster loans for those who were directly impacted.
“The devastation caused by the Fort Worth apartment fire has left many Texans facing significant loss and hardship,” Abbott said in a statement. “This disaster declaration from the SBA will help ensure those affected have access to the critical resources they need to recover and rebuild. I thank the brave firefighters and first responders whose swift action helped protect lives and contain the damage. Texas stands ready to support these residents every step of the way.”
Should the request be approved, the SBA would offer low-interest loans to qualifying residents who suffered damage from the fire.
According to the Fort Worth Fire Department, the fire was reported around 1:30 p.m. June 23 at an apartment complex on the 1000 block of West Rosedale Street. WFAA confirmed the building is the Cooper Modern Apartments, commonly known as The Cooper.
When firefighters arrived on the scene, there were reports of people trapped inside their apartment due to heavy smoke, fire officials said.
One person was injured and was taken to the hospital for treatment. Six people, including firefighters and civilians, were treated for heat exhaustion on the scene.
The heat complicated firefighting operations as firefighters required additional rehab to stay hydrated, the release states. About 170 firefighters and 64 fire apparatuses responded to the scene, officials said.
Firefighters attacked the blaze using aerial hoses on the roof while additional crews were in the building attacking the fire and evacuating residents, the release states. Crews were pulled from the building after a partial roof collapse.
Fort Worth Fire PIO Craig Trojacek says the wind caused the fire to spread; however, it appears that the fire started on the 5th floor. Crews used drones to locate hot spots.
Many of the residents displaced were left only with the clothes they were wearing. Some of them have even reported thefts from their apartments since the incident.