Woman and three children found dead in northwest Oklahoma City apartment fire Sunday

A woman and three children were found dead Sunday in a northwest Oklahoma City apartment fire that displaced more than 20 people, firefighters reported.

A fast-moving fire started at Quail Ridge Apartments, 13317 Plaza Terrace, about 2:50 a.m. A man who suffered burn injuries jumped off of a balcony about 10 feet to the ground and survived, fire Battalion Chief Benny Fulkerson reported.

The man told firefighters his girlfriend and three children, a girl and two boys, were still in the second-floor apartment. But heavy flames kept firefighters from being able to get inside until the fire was extinguished by more than 50 firefighters.

Fire Shift Commander Jim Williams said the deaths affect firefighters who have families of their own at home.

“It always is hard to have to respond to a fire fatality, especially when it involves kids, Williams said. "And these are the first ones of this year.”

He said firefighters who responded were debriefed afterward, and extra counseling will be available to them if needed.

The man who jumped from the balcony was taken to a hospital and treated for burn injuries and released Sunday, Williams said.

The names of the victims were not available.

About 20 apartments sustained fire, smoke and water damage at the complex just east of N May Avenue and south of W Memorial Road. Investigators were not sure if a smoke alarm had been in the apartment where the fire started.

The fire caused about $494,000 damage to the structure and contents, firefighters reported.

Williams said investigators were trying to determine a cause Sunday afternoon.

More than 20 people were displaced, Williams said.

The Quail Ridge Apartments had another fire in January, 2011, when a lighted cigarette ignited a propane tank and caused heavy damage.

In 2018, 22 people died in Oklahoma City fires, including 12 people who died in January.

"You know if you have one fatality it's hard on everybody, and most of our firefighters have kids and families. It hits hard,” Williams said.