Houston Daily

Governor Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to request that officials from the U.S. Small Business Administration join state and local partners in conducting joint preliminary damage assessments following an apartment complex fire in Houston’s Spring Branch neighborhood last week. Authorities believe dozens of units were affected by the incident.

"Texas is grateful for the swift action of brave firefighters who battled the Spring Branch neighborhood apartment complex fire," Governor Abbott said. "Today, I directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to request joint preliminary damage assessments with the U.S Small Business Administration. This joint effort will help determine whether Texas is eligible for federal disaster assistance needed for Texans in the Spring Branch neighborhood to recover and rebuild."

Residents impacted by the fire are encouraged to submit a self-reported damage survey when it is safe to do so, using TDEM's Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT), available at https://damage.tdem.texas.gov. The information collected through iSTAT will assist officials in understanding the scope of damage and help connect affected individuals with resources.