3-alarm blaze destroys structure in Wichita Falls
By: David Gonzalez
Updated: January 14, 2013
Wichita Falls fire crews were extremely busy on Monday afternoon battling a structure fire on Monroe Street in between Avenue E and F near Old High.
The fire was called out around 3:40 p.m. and quickly turned into a 3-alarm blaze.
The billowing, dark smoke from the fire could be seen for miles and firefighters worked hard to keep the flames from spreading.
Wichita Falls Fire Chief Earl Foster says the smoke was really thick.
"It was hanging low to the ground," Foster says. "They really couldn't see which building was burning because of the smoke."
Fire Chief Foster says it fire crews almost two hours to bring it under control.
"We had a total of 44 personnel on scene. We had six engines, two trucks, two manpower squads," Foster says. "Sheppard Air Force Base was called in to help with manpower."
Pauline Robinson, who owns Robinson's Resale a few business down from where the fire started thought the worse.
"I thought my whole shop was burnt down," Robinson exclaims. "That's what they called me and told me that my shop was burning... Everything is ok except I can smell smoke in the store real hard."
However, it was the hard work of the firefighters that kept the flames from damaging other units.
Robinson says, "I'm so glad they were here to stop it before it came to my shop because it could have traveled right back to my building."
Foster agrees, "Firefighters did a really good job. Fortunately, we have no injuries so we're always thankful for that."
Firefighters will be on scene making sure hot spots don't reignite.
Fire officials have not determined what might have caused the fire.
