KHOU 11 connected the family to a Houston nonprofit that is working to help them with temporary housing.
HOUSTON — More than three weeks after a devastating fire tore through a west Houston apartment complex, displaced families are still trying to put their lives back together.
The Houston Fire Department confirms with KHOU 11 that the May 14 fire at the Magnolia Terrace apartments on Synott Road was caused by an unattended barbecue pit. The flames engulfed and destroyed two dozen units, leaving several residents without homes.
Among the hardest hit is the Cavins family — Clinton, his wife Brittney, and their seven children — who lost everything.
“Everything was gone within a matter of probably like ten minutes,” Clinton Cavins said. “The only thing we came out of the house with was ourselves.”
The fire did not just claim their furniture, clothes and important documentation, it also destroyed precious memories and mementos that the family will never be able to get back.
“The sentimental items, all our pictures, the belongings that we’ve been building for years,” Brittney Cavins said.
For a time, the family lived out of their van, but that recently broke down. They are staying with Clinton’s sister, but with a full house of their own, they can only stay with them for a short time. The children keep asking the one question their parents cannot answer: When will they be home again?
“For me to have to answer those things, or to even think about it, or not know what to tell them or give them a timeframe when we’ll have our place back or have something like that again, it’s tough,” Clinton said, getting emotional.
But now, with help from KHOU 11, help is on the horizon.
The station connected the Cavins family to Adolphus Square, CEO of the nonprofit Houston Homeless Hotel, which is stepping in to provide immediate shelter.
“We’re going to provide them a hotel stay, from a week to two weeks, and we’re also going to see about getting their IDs,” Square said.
Houston Homeless Hotel primarily serves unhoused individuals, but it also helps those displaced by emergencies and disasters. Square says his organization is coordinating with other groups to assist the Cavins family long term.
“We’re just happy to be here and happy to do what we can,” Square said.
For Clinton, the support means everything, and it’s a powerful reminder not to take anything for granted.
“Don’t take things for granted, because … You could be up one day and down the next,” he said.
The family has launched a GoFundMe page to help cover their immediate needs as they work toward rebuilding.
Several resources are available for Houstonians displaced by disasters, including the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and Memorial Assistance Ministries. State programs through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs also offer access to helpful tools.