STEPHENVILLE (March 17, 2017) – While the cause of the blaze is still under investigation, Stephenville Fire Marshal Cody Derrick said the fire apparently started in the back section of one house in the 1200 block of W. Elm Street in Stephenville before spreading to the other home.
He said while the quick response of the Stephenville Fire Department kept the homes from burning to the ground or spreading to other homes along the street, it did not prevent the fire from displacing one family.
Photo by RUSSELL HUFFMAN
Photo by RUSSELL HUFFMAN
Photo by RUSSELL HUFFMAN
Photo by RUSSELL HUFFMAN
Photo by RUSSELL HUFFMAN
Photo by RUSSELL HUFFMAN
Photo by RUSSELL HUFFMAN
The first house to catch on fire was empty and being remodeled by the new owners – Phillips Rentals, LLC – who purchased the house in November 2016. According to reports, the southeast corner of the house was where the fire began, which then set the leaves and a tree on fire. This caused the fire to jump from the first house to the second, an occupied home next door to the empty remodel.
The occupied home suffered some exterior damage, but the majority of it was held to an attic area. However, firefighters were forced to poke holes in the ceiling and the home also suffered water and smoke damage in the efforts to extinguish the flames.
Photo by DAVID SWEARINGEN
Photo by DAVID SWEARINGEN
Photo by DAVID SWEARINGEN
Photo by DAVID SWEARINGEN
Photo by DAVID SWEARINGEN
Photo by DAVID SWEARINGEN
The remodeling project recently had temporary electricity established to the front of the building; however the fire did not appear to electrical in nature, according to investigators. The occupied home’s residents alerted 9-1-1.
Derrick said he had yet to determine a cause for the fire and the investigation was ongoing.
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