Massive blaze devours unfinished apartment building in Houston

A massive fire at an apartment building that was under construction near downtown Houston sent a massive column of smoke over the city Tuesday afternoon.

No injuries have been reported.

The five-alarm fire was first reported at 12:30 p.m., according to the Houston Fire Department, and officials said almost 200 firefighters were on the scene.

At least one worker had to be rescued by ladder from the third floor of the apartment building after the fire broke out, department spokesman Ruy Lozano told KHOU-TV. The fire “had pushed him to the point of possibly jumping” before he was safely rescued, Lozano said.

Firefighters were trying to keep the fire from spreading to nearby buildings, but unfortunately, Lozano said, “This heavy wind is causing the fire to grow rapidly and spread rapidly. ... There’s still a lot of fire to be fought.”