Grape Creek Volunteer Firefighters Tackle Four Fires Under Adverse Conditions

SAN ANGELO, TX – April Fools was no joke for the Grape Creek Volunteer Fire Department as they spent six hours battling a structure fire in the 8000 block of Sunflower Ave. According to Jose Rivera,Deputy Fire Chief of the Grape Creek VFD, none of the residents were inside the home when the fire began. This fire was just one of the four calls the department attended to on Saturday.

Beginning at 11:13 a.m., firefighters where dispatched to KNA Rd, north of the Buffalo Heights Area, to help put out a utility trailer fire. The volunteers' main concern was ensuring the fire was contained to prevent any embers from the fire to cause an even bigger issue in the area. Buffalo Heights is surrounded by acres of heavy brush, so containing the fire was the main goal. The lack of fire hydrants in that area is also a problem the fire department constantly faces. They must be equipped with the essential materials to help extinguish the fire, which is why they are currently asking for a grant to purchase a water tanker trunk. The GCVFD covers one of the largest areas outside the city limits, and it would help them immensely to acquire the new equipment they need.

At 2:35 p.m., firefighters responded to a grass fire in the area near Willow Lane that originated after a controlled burn got out of control; once again, they worked to ensure the surrounding brush was safe from the fire.

Volunteers were then dispatched to the third call of the day at 6:19 p.m. as they headed to a structure fire on Sunflower Ave. When they arrived on scene, they realized that the majority of the flames appeared to be coming from the attic area of the house. According to the preliminary observations, the origin of the fire appeared to be a breaker box, thus making the ruling of the fire accidental and electrical as of right now. The house is not fit to be occupied as it sustained extensive severe fire and smoke damage. Additionally, the gusty winds of that afternoon provided an even harder task for the firefighters. The Quail Valley, Carlsbad and Water Valley Volunteer Fire Departments were also on scene to provide any aid or assistance required.

The final fire call of the day came in around 8:00 p.m., while many of the volunteers were still working the previous fire. GCVFD responded to a grass fire near the south entrance of the San Angelo State Park that covered an area of about 50 yards X 50 yards. The fire caused by a lighting strike that occurred during the early hours of the evening.

According to Rivera, this was an unusual day for the department. On average, it responds to 250 calls a year for fires, and it's not common to have four fires in one day. But even though it was not common, the Grape Creek Volunteer Fire Department is always ready to serve their community, Rivera said. The group of approximately 30 volunteers are always willing to respond to all calls.

UPDATE: Monday, April 3, 2017 @ 9:32 a.m.

A go fund me page has been started to raise money for the victims of this house fire. If anyone is interested in donating click the following link for more information.