Fire destroys homes near Austin
Fire destroys homes near Austin
15 August 2011
published by www.wfaa.com
USA — A grass fire destroyed 15 homes in this Austin suburb on Monday.
A call reporting the fire on Horseshoe Drive came in just after 4 p.m. The fire began as a brush fire and grew after it spread to a trailer home.
Firefighters evacuated 189 homes.
According to the Texas Forest Service, 15 homes were destroyed and 30 acres burned. The fire has been 50 percent contained.
One person was taken to a Cedar Park hospital for smoke inhalation.
The Leander Middle School was serving as a shelter for evacuees, but at 9:30 p.m., most residents that were evacuated were allowed to return to their homes, except for those who lived on Powell and Horseshoe drives.
Leander Fire Chief Bill Gardner said any residents who lived on those streets and did not have a place to stay would be put up in a hotel.
About 10 agencies were assisting the Leander Fire Department in battling the flames, including StarFlight, which dropped water from the air.
