Quick action by firefighters saves downtown building

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Stephenville Fire Department makes entry into an unoccupied downtown commercial building where a service van caught fire Thursday evening. || TheFlashToday.cm photo by DAVID SWEARINGEN

By BRAD KEITH
TheFlashToday.com

STEPHENVILLE (October 20, 2016) — Quick 911 calls and the fast response time of Stephenville Fire Department and Erath County Volunteer Fire & Rescue saved a commercial property on Floral street just north of Washington Street downtown Thursday evening.

Several emergency calls reporting flames could be seen at the building were made from individuals at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop.

“People at Fuzzy’s reported the flames, and having a station just a few blocks away, our guys were able to get there and quickly and get it knocked down,” said Stephenville Fire Marshal Cody Derrick. “The fast response of our fire departments is the reason the building was not a total loss.”


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Derrick says the fire actually began in or around the engine compartment of a service van parked inside the building on North Floral, with garage doors facing the back parking lot of Fuzzy’s. The fire spread to the main cap of the van, then to the storage area where there were tools and equipment, fire marshal said.

“Most of the fire damage was contained to the van and the roof of the building above the van,” said Derrick, who added that property records show the building belongs to Harry Binkerhoff.

The official cause of the fire is still under investigation.

“I don’t know what started it, I just know where it started,” he said.

TheFlashToday.com photos by DAVID SWEARINGEN

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