SHERMAN, TX -- Smoke and flames forced the residents of a Sherman apartment complex from their homes Thursday.

Crews were able to keep the fire contained to one unit at the Country Village Apartments, but three other apartments in building 800 are damaged, leaving 15 people without homes.

Just before seven, Eva Cork heard two girls run outside -- screaming there was a fire.

"I immediately ran over and they went to indicate that their bedroom, their mom's bed is on fire. I went into the apartment to think you know maybe it something I could put out. After I got into the building I seen that it was just way too big and escalating way too fast," Cork said.

Cork immediately knocked on neighbors' doors to get them out of the building.

"I was thinking, you know,oh my gosh, everyone needs to just get out. You know anything in there is not worth losing a persons life over," she said.

Sherman, Denison and Whitesboro fire departments all arrived to see flames shooting out of this apartment in building 800.

Sherman Fire Chief Jeff Jones says they were able to keep the flames from spreading.

"The bottom floor apartment has heavy fire damage, the one above it has heavy smoke and water damage. The other two in this building, there's a total of four units, and the other two sustained a lot of smoke damage but fortunately a lot of fire damage," said Jones.

Everyone inside the building made it out safely.
But four families now need a place to stay.

"Of course the families that were affected were, you know kids that my kids go to school with, and just individuals that we know and see on a daily basis, so I'm sure we'll all come together and help out," Cork said.