3 children dead after apartment fire in South Austin

Austin apartment fire leaves 3 dead, 3 others injured

The Austin Fire Department is investigating after three children were found dead after an apartment fire in South Austin.

AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Fire Department is investigating after three children were found dead after an apartment fire in South Austin.

What we know:

The fire happened in the 2500 block of Burleson Road at the Burl North and the Austin Fire Department says it responded at around 12:51 a.m.

Firefighters moved quickly, some to battle the flames, others to search for anyone trapped inside.

"Our crews initiated a fire attack, advanced the hose line, started extinguishing the fire, and we had a second crew inside that was performing a search for the reported people inside," Austin Fire Department Division Chief Wayne Parrish said.

3 children found dead after apartment fire

The Austin Fire Department is investigating after a fire at an apartment fire in South Austin. FOX 7 Austin's Libbi Farrow has the details.

Three children were found dead inside the apartment. Two adults and another child were rushed to the hospital in critical condition. The child was taken to the San Antonio burn unit.

One firefighter suffered minor burns to their hand while attacking the fire but was treated and released.

AFD says the fire did not spread to neighboring apartments thanks to a fire stop in the attic.

"The building has fire stops in the attic which help prevent the fire from spreading to additional apartment units," Parrish said.

All other residents were evacuated and those in about 30 units have been displaced.

What we don't know:

AFD has not released a cause of the fire but are continuing the investigation.

Austin Police Department's Homicide Unit is investigating and APD says this is protocol when the cause of the fire is not known. At this time, APD says it does not believe it's suspicious.

Residents speak about deadly apartment fire

Local perspective:

Smoke filled the air at the complex off Burleson Road early Wednesday morning.

"From one end of the complex where I stay on the far end over there to where this gate is at, I could barely see across just because the amount of smoke that had gathered right in there," Scott Lewis, who lives at the complex said.

Residents said police were rushing through the complex, banging on doors to wake people up.

"APD was banging on every door yelling ‘fire,’ and so I got out as quickly as I could, got some clothes, got my dog, got out," Lewis said.

Three children were found dead, officials said.

"I don't even have words to describe how painful that could be," Lewis said.

The entire 30-unit building was evacuated, leaving dozens of residents displaced.

"It's looking like we're not going to be able to come home for a while," Lewis said.

Despite the fast response, Lewis said the loss is still hard to process.

"I think between the fire department and APD getting everybody awake and out, I don't know how it could have been a whole lot better. But I mean it is still a tragedy even though all of those efforts were made. I mean lives were still lost and that's tough," Lewis said.