Fire at downtown apartment complex forces evacuation

Evacuated residents wait for information about the fire at Agave Apartments on St. Mary's street, Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. Evacuated residents wait for information about the fire at Agave Apartments on St. Mary's street, Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016. Photo: Alma E. Hernandez, For The San Antonio Express News / Alma E. Hernandez / For The San Antonio Express News Photo: Alma E. Hernandez, For The San Antonio Express News / Alma E. Hernandez / For The San Antonio Express News Image 1 of / 18 Caption Close Fire at downtown apartment complex forces evacuation 1 / 18 Back to Gallery

Firefighters battled a blaze at a downtown apartment complex that sent hundreds of residents and pets spilling into the cold and rain Saturday evening.

The fire started at 5:45 p.m. on an upper floor of the five-story Agave Apartments, a trendy new complex at 633 S. St. Mary’s whose grand opening was celebrated earlier this year. No injuries were reported, according to the San Antonio Fire Department, but the blaze, smoke damage and a burst water pipe displaced dozens of residents with rooms near the fire’s origin.

Residents of Building 6 were not allowed to return to their apartments, according to an email from the owners of the complex. Those tenants were relocated to the Grand Hyatt while the owners awaited word from the fire marshal on the condition of the building.

Arson investigators haven’t released any information about the cause of the blaze. Firefighters were able to contain the flames and smoke to the upper floors of one of the six buildings in the complex, which are all interconnected, but had a “tough time advancing” toward the fire’s point of origin, said Woody Woodward, a public information officer for the Fire Department. Black smoke billowed from the top of the structure for at least an hour during the height of the blaze.

The suddenness of the fire caught residents of all shapes, sizes and species off-guard. The scene was strung with dozens of pet owners covering themselves and their dogs and cats in makeshift blankets as temperatures dropped to the 40s and a light rain fell.

“We didn’t even have time to grab a coat,” said Rachel Flores, 28, one of the residents.

As the fire sizzled, residents Michael Nemeth and Allie Roberts rescued their neighbor’s emotional service pig, Effie. The neighbor was out of town and Roberts was taking care of the animal.

“We were bowling with our friends when we heard about the fire, so we raced back and snuck into the building to get her out,” Roberts said. “I was just carrying this squealing pig — oh, my God, she’s 35 pounds — and these firefighters saw us and yelled ‘What are you doing?’ But then they saw the pig and helped us out.”

Nemeth helped Roberts put Effie in a small wagon and covered her with a blanket. Effie doesn’t get along well with dogs, so being the only pig in a street full of canine refugees from Saturday’s fire was a tough experience for the pig, he said.

Still, the fire put things in perspective for pet owners.

“You love what you love,” Nemeth said.

Animal Care Services helped reunite other owners with their pets at the scene.

Fire Department officials said residents who weren’t able to return to their apartments were offered rooms at nearby hotels and apartment complexes, though it is not clear whether these accommodations were free.

jgerlach@express-news.net