Fire rages through massive Houston apartment complex destroying the entire building within TWENTY MINUTES. By mail online:

A large apartment complex under construction in Houston has been consumed by fire, sending thick, black smoke billowing into the sky and drawing hundreds of emergency personnel. Much of the high-rise structure was reduced to rubble on Tuesday by wind-driven flames. Houston Fire Department spokesman Capt. Ruy Lozano told the Houston Chronicle that the only people inside were construction workers and it is believed they all got out safely There were no injuries, but a construction worker had to be rescued from the third floor, according to HFD. Employees at a nearby high-rise say the worker tried to use a fire extinguisher to put out the flames on the roof, but the fire suddenly began spreading. They watched in horror as the man looked desperately for a way to get down. 'The firemen did rescue him, but he did have to drop down a floor as the entire top floor started burning,' the employee said in an email. At one point, the worker dangled perilously from a third floor window sill. He said one man was rescued as he prepared to jump to safety. No injuries have been reported. The dramatic blaze first was reported about 12:30 p.m. The fire was upgraded to a five-alarm call about an hour later. Fire officials said more than 200 emergency personnel were at the scene Tuesday afternoon and were working to protect nearby buildings. Flames engulfed the apartment complex as 200 firefighters in 80 units fought to gain an upper hand on the blaze. The five-story, 368-unit building was destroyed. Blake Rudow, who lives down the street from the fire, told the Houston Chronicle, the wind was bad just as the fire started. 'At one point the wind was blowing so hard the water wasn't getting to the fire,' Rudow said. Within 20 minutes after the blaze broke out, the flames had spread through the entire complex, which was under construction near the Montrose intersection. it is for the firefighters in heavy gear battling this fire,' said KHOU 11News reporter Marcelino Benito, who was at the scene. No information was available about what sparked the blaze, but Lozano told the newspaper that high winds caused the fire to spread quickly. The complex was expected to take its first occupants in June. Lash LaRue told the newspaper that he was installing phone lines on the fifth floor of the building when he heard a loud crash and then saw the ceiling collapsing and flames shooting through. 'It was wicked,' LaRue said.