Hundreds evacuated in South Texas grass fire
Hundreds evacuated in South Texas grass fire
15 February 2008
published by www.team4news.com
USA — Hundreds of South Texans are being allowed to return home after a grass fire that destroyed three structures forced them to flee.
Firefighters quelled the blaze, and power to the area had been partially restored.
Eleven children and six adults were treated for smoke inhalation after the grass fire broke out in a Lower Rio Grande Valley community near Alamo. The community known as Little Mexico is 1 of the area’s poorest.
Hidalgo County emergency management coordinator Tony Pena (PEHN’-yah) says the fire destroyed one house and two other buildings. Many other houses sustained smoke damage.
The fire started yesterday morning in a grassy field with wooden pallets. About 200 homes were evacuated as the fire spread from the field and jumped a road to where the homes were. Pena says winds gusting up to 40 miles per hour were a major factor in the fire’s spread.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Officials ask residents to heed a burn ban in effect until April 8th.
