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Residents clean up after second fire burns complex

11:04 PM CDT on Saturday, August 2, 2008

By MARI ALVAREZ
KVUE News

Video
KVUE's Mari Alvarez reports
08/02/2008
Local/State Videos
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There is new information on the second fire in a week at the same apartment complex.

Round Rock fire investigators wrapped up their preliminary investigation, with assistance from ATF. They believe faulty wiring may be behind the fire that destroyed the apartment complex unit Friday.

If that is the case, it would make this the second accidental fire at the same unit within just 5 days.

Residents at Vista Ridge couldn't believe their eyes Friday night. "The entire roof was like a giant flame, like completely - it's very traumatizing," said Chris Joslin, a resident at Vista Ridge.

Joslin lived in one of the now torched apartments.

"I'm still in the same clothes from yesterday, my clothes still smell like smoke - it's just very surreal. I've never experienced anything like this," said Joslin. "I had art covering my walls, I had fabric tapestries hanging up everywhere. It all just is completely scorched and gone," said Joslin.

There was lots of traffic at Vista Ridge Saturday afternoon.

The first fire from earlier in the week was caused by an improperly discarded cigarette.

Kenneth Anderson was displaced by that first fire.

He says it was hard to watch as flames took out the neighboring unit Friday night.

"Oh my heart goes out to those people. I know they're in trauma right now.  Whether you've got insurance or not, it just takes your life and it just disrupts it," said Anderson.

KVUE News

He is the only tenant in that first fire with renter's insurance. That plan is now covering his loss.

No one was hurt in either fire at Vista Ridge.

The Red Cross is putting the victims of this latest fire up in a hotel through the weekend.

But after a rash of apartment fires in the area this week, volunteers say they're running out of money and supplies.