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Fire destroys three structures, sends firefighter to hospital
Three structures were destroyed and one firefighter sent to the hospital after an electrocuted squirrel started a grassfire Tuesday evening.
by Kathleen Thurber
Midland Reporter-Telegram
Burning carcass of electrocuted squirrel cited as cause of blaze
By Kathleen Thurber
Staff Writer
Three structures were destroyed and one firefighter sent to the hospital after an electrocuted squirrel started a grassfire Tuesday evening.
Fire crews found the squirrel's body below the power line's transformer in the 2800 block of West County Road 116 and said the burning carcass likely ignited the grass when it fell to the ground.
The fire started around 5 p.m. Tuesday and burned several acres and three structures in the area, said Midland Fire Department Battalion Chief Ken Whiting. No mandatory evacuations were made, but Midland County deputies had blocked traffic at West County Road 114 and South County Road 1205 to prevent neighbors from getting too close to the fire at around 5:30 p.m. and other families left the area voluntarily.
A Northeast volunteer firefighter also suffered heat exhaustion while fighting the fire and was taken to Midland Memorial Hospital where he was in good condition Tuesday night, Whiting said.
Crews extinguished the last of the blaze around 8 p.m. Tuesday, Whiting said.
Whiting said electrocuted animals start more grassfires than people are aware of and that the heat, wind and overgrown brush helped propel this fire to a higher level than most started by animals.
"We're encouraging people that are in the county to make sure they clear their property of grass and weeds," Whiting said.
The structures lost Tuesday were all surrounded by tall weeds, which in an ideal situation should be cleared at least 150 feet from any building.
By Kathleen Thurber
Staff Writer
Three structures were destroyed and one firefighter sent to the hospital after an electrocuted squirrel started a grassfire Tuesday evening.
Fire crews found the squirrel's body below the power line's transformer in the 2800 block of West County Road 116 and said the burning carcass likely ignited the grass when it fell to the ground.
The fire started around 5 p.m. Tuesday and burned several acres and three structures in the area, said Midland Fire Department Battalion Chief Ken Whiting. No mandatory evacuations were made, but Midland County deputies had blocked traffic at West County Road 114 and South County Road 1205 to prevent neighbors from getting too close to the fire at around 5:30 p.m. and other families left the area voluntarily.
A Northeast volunteer firefighter also suffered heat exhaustion while fighting the fire and was taken to Midland Memorial Hospital where he was in good condition Tuesday night, Whiting said.
Crews extinguished the last of the blaze around 8 p.m. Tuesday, Whiting said.
Whiting said electrocuted animals start more grassfires than people are aware of and that the heat, wind and overgrown brush helped propel this fire to a higher level than most started by animals.
"We're encouraging people that are in the county to make sure they clear their property of grass and weeds," Whiting said.
The structures lost Tuesday were all surrounded by tall weeds, which in an ideal situation should be cleared at least 150 feet from any building.
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