Ten apartments at the Bishop Plaza Apartments were gutted by a blaze Friday leaving 24 adult and children homeless. (Photo by Gloria Bigger-Cantu). A blaze gutted 10 Bishop Plaza apartments leaving 24 adults and children homeless Friday but fortunately no one was hurt.

One of the fire victims believe that some of the units could have been saved if a fire hydrant had been in good working condition.

The fire victims included 12 adults and 12 children ranging in ages from nine months to 15 years.

“I honestly feel that if the fire hydrant had been in good service some of the units could have been saved,” Lisa Hicks said Monday. She has been the manager for the Bishop Plaza Apartments for over five years.

She witnessed the blaze and saw about 30 firefighters trying to extinguish the fire that took them about five hours to contain. The majority of the firefighters were with the Nueces County Emergency Service District 3 from Bishop.

Other firefighters on the scene were from Kingsville, Driscoll and Robstown, according to Hicks. She was notified of the fire about 3 p.m. and saw the ongoing firefighting situation.

Hicks noticed a firefighter trying to connect the hose but the fire hydrant was faulty and not in good service. So the connection could not be made.

Firefighters had to bring a tanker with water on the scene. “There are a lot of disruptive lives because of this,” Hicks said referring to the bad condition of the hydrant.

Smoldering ashes reignited in the early hours Saturday morning and completely destroyed one of the units that might have been salvageable. That same morning workers were noticed repairing the fire hydrant.

“It was a double whammy for me because my family and my daughter’s family have lost our homes and all of our belongings,” she said. All of her Christmas gifts perished in the fire. Hicks lives with her husband and two children. Her daughter, husband and three small children lived a few doors away. Hicks moved here from West Texas over five years ago.

They have no family in Bishop. The Bishop Plaza Apartments, located in the 900 block of east Oregon Street, has four buildings with 36 units. The 10 units destroyed by fire were in the 500 Building. Residents pay rent based on their income.

The owners of the apartments were in town Monday morning to assess the situation. Hicks estimates that it will take from six to nine months to rebuild the units. Fire victims will have priority of moving back in the apartments. Three of the families were housed in three vacant units. American Red Cross emergency staff members spent nine hours helping the fire victims Friday. The American Red Cross has spent $7500 to assist the families with food, clothing and hotel expenses, according to Nevada Linford, Director of the Coastal Bend Chapters that provide services for 12 counties.

Each family received a debit credit card for assistance with food and clothes. The Red Cross paid expenses for the fire victims to stay at a motel for four days and nights. They will also pay for one month’s rent if needed.

“It could have been tragic but it was fortunate that everybody was safe,” Linford said. She encourages residents to be careful with Christmas lights and make sure the circuits are not overloaded. “If you are using space heaters keep all flammable material away from them,” she said.

Candles should never be left unattended or on when people leave their homes.

District Chief Bubba Sheible with the Nueces County Emergency Service District 3 was not available for comment.

People who wish to assist the nine families can call the Red Cross at 361-887-9991 or 800- 656-9991. Designate donations to victims of Bishop Plaza Apartments fire. Donations can be made online at www.cbtredcross.org. Mail checks to P.O. Box 3429, Corpus Christi, TX 78463. To donate items contact the American Red Cross and it will put families in touch with donors.

The Bishop community has also come together to hold a fundraising event for the Bishop fire victims from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17 at the Badger Den at Bishop High School.

There will be a plate sale and bake sale, as well as Santa and a steer for pictures, and donations such as toletries, new or gently used clothes, toys, and furniture will be accepted.