HARKER HEIGHTS (December 29, 2009)—A fire that broke out at around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday at an apartment complex at 207 W. Cardinal Lane in Harker Heights displaced 12 people from four separate families, authorities said.

The American Red Cross has arranged for hotel rooms for all of the displaced residents.

The fire gutted one unit and left another with significant smoke and fire damage, officials said.

Each unit had one apartment downstairs and one upstairs.

Damage is estimated at about $400,000.

Firefighters arrived to find one unit of the complex engulfed in flames.

All of the residents escaped safely.

Firefighters evacuated the second unit as a precaution.

No injuries were reported.

Firefighters were forced to go on the defensive after the roof of the burning building collapsed.

The fire was under control within an hour and out by 5 a.m.

Harker Heights Fire Chief Jack Collier said the fire may have been started by a lit cigarette that was tossed into an outdoor trash can, setting some leaves on fire and sending the flames up the side of the building and into the attic.