Firefighters put out apartment blaze

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Firefighters put out a heavy blaze at an apartment complex in South Austin early Wednesday morning.

• Photos: Blaze at Park Lane Villas

Austin Fire Department got the call just before 6 a.m. Wednesday in the 1700 block of Woodward Street.

Firefighters found heavy fire shooting from the second floor of the Park Lane Villas and escalated the fire status to a second alarm.

The man who called 911 tells KXAN News the fire started on the first floor of the building and spread to the second floor.

All of the residents made it out safely, and neighbors said they didn't think anyone was home in the apartment unit that caught fire.

AFD says two units have fire damage, and two more have smoke and water damage. Damage to the structure was estimated at $100,000. Damage to the contents was was about $50,000.

The cause of the fire was found to be improperly discarded smoking materials, according to AFD.

At least people between the four units were displaced.

Around 7:30 Wednesday morning, firefighters allowed other residents to go back inside. The apartment building which caught fire has a total of about 20 units.

Police shut Parker Lane down at Woodward Street.