Photo: Ken Branca Photo: Ken Branca Photo: Ken Branca Photo: Ken Branca Photo: Ken Branca Photo: Ken Branca Photo: Ken Branca Photo: Ken Branca Photo: Ken Branca Photo: Ken Branca

A lightning strike is the likely cause of a second-alarm fire at an apartment complex early Tuesday that destroyed several family homes on the Northeast Side, the San Antonio Fire Department said.

Reports of the fire came just after 2 a.m., and the first crews on scene saw heavy flames coming through the roof of the Villa Rodriguez Apartments, near the 3400 block of Salado Creek Drive.

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The massive fire was a challenge for firefighters, but they were able to knock down the fire within an hour, officials at the scene said.

Residents were evacuated and eight units were destroyed by the fire. Officials said more than a dozen people, including some children, were displaced from their homes, but housed in other units in the complex for the night.

No injuries were reported.

Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway