GREENVILLE, S.C. -- What started as a brush fire quickly spread to a neighboring apartment building Tuesday, said witnesses.

Residents said they were caught completely off guard .

"All I saw was a grass fire and then I heard a loud pop," said Pat Pruitt, a fire victim.

Others said the same thing.

"I opened the door, grabbed the fire extinguisher then someone grabbed me and said it was too late, so I grabbed my boys and put them in the car and helped people knock on doors," said Jessica Kurt, another fire victim.

Within minutes, firefighters said the blaze spread through the attic, devouring every single apartment on the top floor.

"The top apartment over in the far corner was engulfed in flames. And every time it looked like they would have it out, it would shoot back up with smoke everywhere. I mean flames got up to like 30 feet in the air," said Chris Dice, a witness.

Residents of the complex said they rushed home from work in a frenzy and could see smoke across the sky.

"I could see the flames and smoke, so of course I'm panicking trying to get home because I don't know how close it is and the wind is blowing," said Wanda McMurtury, a neighbor to the burned complex.

Firefighters said the wind not only made the fire move quickly through the building, but it also made it difficult to control the flames. They said it took about an hour and a half to put the fire out.

Now, people who called the 12 apartments home are trying to see past the smoke.

"I feel at peace because God is going to protect me through all this even though people are losing possessions -- possessions are not important because no life was lost," said Kurt.

The Red Cross responded and is providing the displaced residents with shelter.

"I think the biggest challenge is really wrapping their mind around what just happened to them. I think that is first and foremost coming to the realization they just lost everything," said Brian Scoles, of American Red Cross.