18 residents, 6 pets displaced after fire at East Austin apartment complex

Eighteen people and six pets were displaced after a fire Friday night at an apartment complex in East Austin.

Firefighters arrived shortly before 7 p.m. to see fire through the roof at the Menlo at Mueller apartment complex at 6855 U.S. 290 East near Berkman Drive.

No injuries were reported.

At 7:50 p.m., Austin fire reported that they had contained the fire to a single building where the fire began.

During a search of the second floor, Austin fire officials said, firefighters found and removed a sleeping resident.

The building has 16 apartments and will be uninhabitable, Austin fire said.

The complex’s management and the Red Cross are assisting the displaced residents.

Investigators on Saturday concluded the blaze was an accidental electrical fire. Officials estimated the damage to be worth $1 million for the structure and $150,000 for the contents inside.

Fire officials on Saturday said residents were allowed to retrieve belongings from first-floor apartments with some firefighters available to help assist in recovering items.

2nd alarm 6855 US 290 East, fire through roof on arrival pic.twitter.com/pOVSHrTZgT

— Austin Fire Info (@AustinFireInfo) January 11, 2020