Fire engulfs housing structures near DOC

The Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services successfully quelled a trash fire that engulfed housing structures along Texas Road near the Department of Corrections in Susupe late Saturday night.

Despite the intensity of the blaze, all 14 individuals residing in the housing structures were safely evacuated, with no reported injuries or fatalities.

According to DFEMS, they received a call about the fire around 10:19pm, and issued out multiple units to respond to the site.

Arriving at the scene at 10:23pm, Rescue-1 conducted a thorough assessment reporting a trash fire and said flames were dangerously close to both the housing structures and nearby vehicles. The point of origin of the fire was determined to be the northside of the buildings which used to be a small shed and part of an auto shop.

DFEMS said within minutes of Rescue-1’s arrival the fire escalated and engulfed the structures. Rescue personnel immediately evacuated nearby residents to safety, while off-duty firefighters from Alpha Shift joined forces to contain the blaze.

Under the leadership of Bravo Shift commander, Capt. J.C. Camacho, the main fire was brought under control by 1:08am, marking the beginning of the mop-up phase. By 2:07am, the fire was fully contained and extinguished.

Fire investigator Lamarc Iguel shed light on the incident, “With multiple fuel loads, the fire was able to spread quickly toward the southern side of the structure. Minor soot damage was found on adjacent structures on the southern side, and the suppression operation was able to control the fire’s exposure and contain it in one area.”

He added that the eastern side of the housing structures suffered roof collapses as a result of the inferno.

“Based on scene investigations and interview statements, the area of the origin was located on the northeast side of the property.”

As of now, the cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Division of Fire Prevention and Arson Investigation, with a determination expected at a later date.