San Angelo Fire Department Battles Intense House Fire on Madison

The two alarms for the fire on the 200 block of North Madison Street went out at approximately 9:15 a.m. When firemen arrived, flames were rising above the roof. At one point, the fire battalion chief warned that there was a partial roof collapse.

Ladder 5 is on the scene. Ladder 1 is on the way. There are several pumper trucks at the scene already.

Madison Street is closed to all traffic.

We will have updates and more pictures as the story unfolds.

Update 9:51 p.m.

Flames are no longer above the roof. But you can see flames still inside the house. Battalion chief just ordered Ladder 1 to use "ladder tower operations." He is ordering all firefighters out of the house, and off the roof.

Update 10:00 a.m.

The ladder tower is set up. Battalion chief is ordering this change of tactics to enhance safety. They will be applying water from above the house.

Update 10:14 a.m.

Ladder 1 is deployed above the roof now. From observation, it appears that the metal roof is posing problems for the fire fighting operations. They can't blow the roof off with water.

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Update 10:35 a.m.

Firefighters are getting the fire under control. Fire Marshall Ross Coleman has started the investigation. He was seen interviewing the family that lives at the residence and taking pictures around the fire scene. The initial reports were that the fire was on North Madison. Then that changed to South Madison. We have confirmed that the address is the 200 block of North Madison.

Update 11:30 a.m.

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Above: The family pet rabbit was saved at the fire on the 200 block of N. Madison on June 21, 2014. (LIVE! Photo/John Basquez)

Battalion Chief Ricky Long briefed the media. The fire fighters found the family's pet rabbit inside the burning structure and rescued it. "It was scared as *** but we saved it," he said. He said that as they were responding, they could see the smoke from the fire from the Central Fire Station. "When we arrived, we could see heavy fire in what we call the 'CD' corner, which is the back righthand corner of the house," he reported. The fire originated in the laundry room that is adjacent to a gas water heater. The fire jumped to the gas water heater and spread rapidly through the gas lines. The fire fighters mostly got the fire under control in the interior, but the fire in the attic was so much that the chief was concerned that the roof would collapse on his men. "We also had fire showing at every seam on the metal roof," he said. He ordered everyone out of the house, and initiated 'master stream operations' with a ladder truck. That is, the ladder was used to rise above the roof and apply water from the end of the ladder. The house is likely a total loss.

Here is the briefing from the battalion chief on audio:

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