An east El Paso fire caused the displacement of 16 people inside a quadraplex apartment on Saturday morning.

"I don't know what to tell you but, I never thought it was gonna happen to me," said fire victim Frances Gonzalez.

Just before 9 a.m. crews responded to 1775 Pico Alto Drive near Trawood and Lomaland after heavy smoke was reported at the apartment.

"We had barely woken up and I turned on the heater and I started smelling smoke," said Gonzalez.

Firefighters were able to locate the fire within a wall of the building.

"There was an extensive extension of the fire due to it going through the utility chase," said Ramon Valencia, a battalion chief with the El Paso Fire Department.

Officials said 15 units and 45 firefighters responded.

Officials said four families including eight adults and eight children were displaced.

"I just feel sad because we don't have a place to go, and then the kids, no clothes, no nothing," said Gonzalez.

The Red Cross was at the scene assisting the families.

Around 10 a.m. the fire department said the fire was under control and that investigators were still trying to determine the cause of the fire.

There were no reported injuries.