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BRIDGE CITY — A Bridge City man was at a washateria Thursday when he learned his apartment was on fire with his family inside.

Tielor Carpenter said that when his wife called to tell him he immediately thought it was something small until he raced across the highway to Southern Oaks Apartments, 1571 Texas Ave. and saw fire on his door, the roof and walls.

“I’m freaking out because my baby is in there, my wife, my mother-in-law, they’re all in there,” Carpenter said. 

Firefighters received the report of a structure fire at approximately 3:30 p.m. and upon arrival found a double story apartment building heavily engulfed in flames and smoke, and there was a report of people trapped, according to  Orange County Emergency Services District No. 2 Fire Chief Ricky Bodin. 

Carpenter’s mother-in-law Tammy Meulemans said she was in the shower at the time of the fire and was getting dressed when rescuers came to get her out through a window. 

“I was scared to death because I couldn’t get my grandson out and there was no other way to get out,” Meulemans said, adding she will never live in an apartment again.

With the help of firefighters and good Samaritans three people were rescued unharmed.

Traffic on Texas Avenue was blocked in both directions while firefighters worked to extinguish the fire.

The cause of the fire is not immediately known. 

Several firefighters from Orange County ESD 2, 3, 4, West Orange Fire Department, Acadian Ambulance, Orange County Constable Precinct 3 and Bridge City Police Department responded.