House fire update

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FLASH TODAY STAFF REPORT

STEPHENVILLE (May 17, 2017) – With two house fires within the city limits in less than a week, Stephenville Fire Department Fire Marshal Cody Derrick has been a busy man lately. Stephenville FD has put out two major blazes within a few days and Derrick said both were dangerous fires.

The first fire within the city limits was on N. Everett Street on Sunday, just after 1 p.m., and injured two male subjects seriously. Both were flown to Dallas-Fort Worth hospitals with burns. Derrick said the 56-year-old male subject is being treated at Parkland Memorial in stable but critical condition with third-degree burns on 65 percent of his body. The other male was also listed in stable but critical condition with third-degree burns.

Derrick said this fire was caused by a gas explosion and resulted in major damage to the home, possibly a total loss. He said the cause of this fire was an accidental fire caused by a natural gas explosion. Fires like this can cause enormous devastation but luckily there are a number of services available to people in this position. You can view service online.

“The victim said he turned on the stove to cook some food and then there was an explosion,” he reported Wednesday. “During my investigation it was discovered that a wall gas valve had been knocked open and turning on the stove ignited the gas causing the explosion and fire. Witness statements and burn patterns within the home were consistent with this theory.”

However, things were entirely different at the trailer house fire at the Stephenville Mobile Home Park on Washington Street. This fire, which broke out in a pickup truck parked between two homes at approximately 6:30 p.m. on Monday, is being investigated as “a suspicious fire,” Derrick reported.

He said while everyone in both homes were able to get out safely, the pickup and one home will be a complete loss, and the other affected home will need major repairs if it can be saved.

“This fire isn’t as cut and dry as the other fire we’ve investigated this week,” Derrick reported. “I’ve called the State Fire Marshal in to help me investigate this fire because of the suspicious circumstances.”


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