Neighbor describes ‘humongous’ flames after fire engulfs apartment building

The San Antonio Fire Department estimates 20 people are displaced after an apartment fire around 3 p.m. Friday in the 5100 block of USAA Boulevard.

The fire began on an upstairs balcony, the department said, before spreading to the attic.

Roughly 100 firefighters worked to put out the blaze, the department said, as the roof of the apartment building collapsed.

The building is considered a total loss, SAFD said, and 16 apartment units were damaged.

No one was seriously injured, but one person was treated for smoke inhalation.

“It was really scary for us, for the people behind it, because smoke was everywhere,” Jamarah Willis said.

Willis witnessed the fire and helped her neighbors look for missing pets.

“The flames were humungous,” Willis said. “A lot of people lost more of their stu