Firefighters pulled out from house moments before collapse
Scott Engle – At 11:01p.m. Montgomery County Fire dispatchers took a call from a homeowner in the 18000 block of Lilac in the Tanglewood Manor Subdivision off FM 1485 in New Caney.
She told dispatchers her second-floor master bedroom was on fire.
Station 154 of East Montgomery County Frie Department is housed in their new station a short distance away and responded. First units went on the scene with heavy fire in the rear of the 5400 square foot home. Additional units were called in as firefighters made the attack.
With no hydrants, extra tankers were called in.
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The fire continued to spread and got into the attic of the second floor.
The home of rustic construction had plank ceilings making it very hard for firefighters tho make access to the attic.
EMC Chief Howard Rinewalt then spotted a 5-ton central air unit on the rook of the home and immediately called for all firefighters to evacuate the building.
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Moments later the rook collapsed under the weight as the unit fell through to the weakened second floor.
Crews continued pouring water onto the fire as a second alarm was called. At 1:07 am the fire was declared under control. However, firefighters will most likely spend the day on the scene as spot fire rekindle.
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The homeowner was outside with his children doing target practice when he noticed the outside lights wink on and off several times. He then smelled smoke as he noticed the fire in the master bedroom. There were no injuries, the Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office will investigate.
East Montgomery County Fire Department was assisted by Porter, Caney Creek, Needham, and South County Fire Departments.
