Two firefighters are injured and dozens of residents are displaced after a 5-alarm fire at a Dallas senior living facility Thursday night, and officials are now saying that the fire was an accident and started because of an "improperly discarded cigarette."
The blaze started at about 6:30 p.m. Thursday and more than 120 firefighters were called to the scene at the Serenity Apartments on Dilido Road near John West Road, according to Dallas Fire-Rescue.
All of the residents got out unharmed but two firefighters were hurt badly enough to go to the hospital. Their injuries were not considered to be life-threatening, officials said.
The inside of the structure was so dangerous that commanders ordered everyone out to fight the blaze from the outside.
A Red Cross evacuation center has been set up at the Samuel-Grand Rec Center at Samuel-Grand Park to help residents find a place to stay. Nearly 50 of the 65 displaced residents were taken there by DART bus.
The Red Cross, the property management staff and the Dallas Office Emergency Management are all offering assistance.
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