A Message to the Texas State University Community from President Denise M. Trauth

As many of you know, there was a fire on Friday, July 20, at the Iconic Village Apartments and the Vintage Pads Apartments in San Marcos. Five individuals are still unaccounted for, and the City of San Marcos has confirmed this morning at a press conference that four remains have been recovered. The Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office is conducting the autopsy and identification of the remains. The families of the unaccounted individuals have been notified and the City of San Marcos is in regular communication with the families. Until there is confirmation from the Medical Examiner’s Office regarding the identity of the victims, we will not release any information on the victims.

This is obviously heartbreaking news. It is a terrible tragedy.

The entire university community mourns the loss of these lives and we send our deepest condolences to the families and friends. We also send our wishes for a speedy recovery to those injured by the fire and who are still recovering.

We are deeply appreciative to the City of San Marcos, the federal and state agencies assisting in the investigation into the fire and to the various community organizations and groups who have offered assistance. It is times like this that remind us of the extraordinary kindness of the San Marcos community.

Approximately 200 individuals have been displaced by the fire and many have lost all of their personal belongings. The university has organized resources and support services to help these students and those impacted by this tragedy. This information has been distributed widely and is available on the university’s Safety and Emergency Communications website. We encourage students experiencing stress or needing emotional support to contact the Counseling Center at 512-245-2208.

 

Denise M. Trauth
President