Just after midnight Saturday, Champions Fire Department received a call to the Champion Forest Apartments at 12000 Champion Forest Drive. The complex is across the street from the station. The called reported smelling smoke. As the first trucks arrived the reported smoke coming from the soffit area of the building. A full box was pulled and additional equipment was dispatched. As those units arrived a hose was laid from a fire hydrant on the property. The stem of that hydrant broke off and firefighters had to utilize a hydrant several hundred feet away on the street. A ladder truck was set up but the building had a flat tar roof with a collapse potential. For hours firefighters chased fire between roof trusses, floor trusses and a one foot void which extended from floor to roof and the length of the building between apartments on the north side and the south side of the building. At times smoke would become very heavy and fire would erupt in another location.
One resident had several dogs and cats in her apartment. One cat escaped the building , the others were found inside, all suffering smoke inhalation. One dog died and one cat died. However firefighters and medics were able to revive one dog and six cats using oxygen.
The fire went to three alarms bringing Cypress Creek, Klien, Ponderosa and Little York to assist Champions.
The Harris County Fire Marshal is investigating. It appears the fire started in a vacant apartment which was recently prepared for move in on Monday. Of the fifteen units, four suffered extensive damage, the others suffered smoke damage and loss of power.
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