Early morning fire destroys home
Smoke pours out from the backside of a home on CR 2078 early Tuesday morning. The home was a complete loss, but no one was injured.
MOSS HILL– An early morning fire destroyed a home, as neighbors rushed to the scene to assist the homeowners before first responders reached the scene.
Around daybreak on Tuesday, Jan. 27, a fire that broke out in a shed spread to an abandoned trailer, before reaching a home on CR 2078, just off Texas 105.
The call came in around 6:45 a.m. as neighbors headed to the home to make sure the couple residing there was out.
According to Lt. Ryan Taylor with Liberty County ESD 2, the department was the first on the scene after a call came in, and it responded quickly because it had a four-man crew on hand overnight due to inclement weather across the area.
"Due to our staffing, we were able to quickly deploy hand lines and start fire attack. Crew members also conducted a primary search of the residence," Taylor said.
Taylor also remarked on the neighbors' efforts, who he said took quick action to assist the homeowner before their arrival.
One of those neighbors, Josh Fitzgerald, said he heard several pops before another neighbor ran through his yard toward the home, while another neighbor went to check on a male homeowner who was inside when the fire started.
Water hoses at the property were frozen due to the cold temperatures and were unusable in attempts to extinguish flames, but a pet dog was rescued from the home and there were no injuries.
Fitzgerald praised the firefighters' response, saying they did a remarkable job upon arrival.
According to Liberty County ESD No. 7 Chief Nic Nelson, an electrical overload in the shed is the likely cause of the fire, noting that the home was a total loss.
Taylor and Nelson both commended the response of local departments, including ESD 2, ESD 7, Batson, Saratoga, Tarkington, North Liberty County Fire