CEDAR PARK (KXAN) — Makayla Cray didn’t even have time to grab diapers on her way out of the apartment Tuesday, flames flaring up behind her shortly after she rushed to evacuate.

Maykayla Cray and her newborn, Parmer Lane Fire Evacuees. (KXAN photos/Jala Washington).
On Wednesday morning, she returned to the Bexley at Silverado complex as a helicopter circled around the residential area, dumping water on lingering flames and hot spots. (KXAN photos/Jala Washington).

Her building is right next to the one that was destroyed by the fire in the residential area, she told KXAN Reporter Jala Washington.

Not able to get back inside, a Cedar Park Police Officer offered to go back into her unit to grab diapers, medication and bottles for her newborn.

“She’ll be four weeks on Friday,” Cray said. “I had probably two minutes to get her…my cat out from underneath the bed of the carrier and like get out the door. And by time made it to my car, I could already see the flames.”

Hannah Watson and her fiancé live in Cray’s building too. While they shopped at Target when the fire broke out, their Ring Cam video captured the flames and smoke, burning out of control.

Ring video captures start of Parmer Lane Fire. (Photo credit: Hannah Clair Watson).

“I’m thinking about my animals trapped inside, I’m watching on my Ring backdoor camera, flames surrounding my backyard,” Watson said. “I cried, I simply just cried.”

Watson said Animal Control rescued her two cats and dog. As of Wednesday evening, Watson said she and her fiancé were able to get back into their unit, and that everything was OK.

Grass catches fire near Parmer Lane. (Photo Credit: Mateo Orosco).

While the chaos erupted on Tuesday night during evacuations, Mateo Orosco, an Amazon Delivery driver, said he almost got trapped in a neighborhood next to the complex where the fire started.

He said he helped neighbors in homes evacuate as he sped out of the area, watching fires spark on lawns from burning embers.  

“There was so much smoke,” Orosco said. “I was honking through the neighborhood trying to let everybody know.”

Everyone did get out OK, according to officials, but some are displaced.

Cray, a new mom, stayed in a hotel on Tuesday night due to not having any family in the area. She said she’s also trying to manage having a sick baby who has been in and out of the ICU the past few weeks.

“We were at the doctor this morning,” Cray said. “Basically she was having spells of not breathing, turning blue.”

Nonetheless, scary moments have turned to gratitude. And Cray is hoping for the very best. 

“As chaotic as it is, she’s safe,” Cray said. “I’m safe.”