Approximately 29 Residents Displaced After Apartment Fire In Tulsa

Tulsa fire marshals said the cause of a large apartment complex fire Saturday afternoon, displacing dozens of residents at French Villa Apartments near 47th and Harvard, has been ruled as "undetermined."

We're told nobody was injured in the fire, but some families are now having to start from scratch after escaping with nothing but the clothes on their backs and a few possessions that managed to make it out. 

29 people are starting off the New Year searching for a new place to live.

“It was scary, and I just wanted to get my kids," said Nicole Harman. 

Nicole Harman is still in shock.

“I have the clothes I have on my back. I was able to get one pair of shoes and I got a coat and that’s really like that’s it. It smells real bad. All of our clothes and stuff is pretty bad damage. There’s big holes in the ceiling. The windows are busted," said Harman. 

Harman said she was at work when her daughter called. 

“She said, ‘Mom there’s a fire coming in the building and it’s coming through towards our apartment,'" said Harman. 

Harman's daughter, 5-year-old son, their cat and goldfish all managed to make it out.

"He’s autistic so he was like, ‘FIRE.’ Like he was excited. So, I was like, yeah. He doesn’t get it and understand yet, but it’ll come later," said Harman. 

District Chief Jon Steiner said when Tulsa Fire crews arrived they found large flames and heavy smoke billowing from the roof.

Steiner said they assigned a search and rescue group, and thankfully nobody was inside.

Firefighters said the fire started in a second story apartment unit before working its way into the attic.

About 40 minutes after crews arrived, they’d managed to get the fire under control. Fighting the fire, and the cold. 

"Their hands will get cold, they're wet, they’ve been sweating. We ask a lot out of the men and women, and they do a hell of a job," said Steiner.

Firefighters are partnering with the Red Cross to make sure folks who were displaced are taken care of. 

Harman said she feels lost, doesn’t have renters' insurance, and her son's toys are destroyed. 

“But it’s ok. It’s all replaceable. We can get more dinosaurs. He loves dinosaurs. Time to rebuild. I can do it, you know," said Harman.

Firefighters said there are 20 units in the building, 5 of which are vacant, and they are having to shut off the utilities.

The cause of this fire is under investigation.