Apartment Fire in Houston’s Clear Lake Area: Child and Two Firefighters Injured, Suspect Charged with Arson

An early morning apartment fire at 696 Pineloch Dr. in the Clear Lake Area has left two firefighters injured and a child treated for injuries. The incident occurred on November 24, 2023, at 6:32 a.m. at The Veridian at Bellevue Apartments.

Firefighters responded within five minutes to find flames engulfing the first and second floors of an apartment building. The estimated property saved is valued at $310,000, while the estimated damage amounts to $250,000.

The suspect, 36-year-old Reuben Ashner Colbert, is now facing charges of 1st Degree Felony Arson of a habitation. Fire crews conducted an offensive attack, managing to control the blaze from the exterior before entering the units. A thorough search was completed, and all residents were safely evacuated.

The response involved 39 personnel, with two firefighters requiring hospital transport—one for breathing problems and the other for a shoulder injury. A child, who escaped through a window, was treated on-site by Houston Fire Department Emergency Medical Services.