All posts by : Jacob Damskov & Jared Cockrum

At approximately 12:30 AM Saturday, April 29^th, Smith County ESD2’s Dixie Fire, Noonday Fire, Flint-Gresham Fire, Battalion 1, and Captain 1 responded to a residential structure fire on Old Chandler Highway.  

The first arriving fire units reported that the wood frame structure was approximately 50% engulfed in flames, and neighbors advised that it was unoccupied. The fire had already worked throughout the home, even collapsing the roof. After getting a knock-back of the fire from the exterior, firefighters could move to the house’s interior to extinguish the fire. A control time was called at 1:19 AM.  

The Smith County Sheriff’s Office and UT EMS also responded. The Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire. No injuries were reported.  

At 3:13PM on Friday, Noonday Fire, Flint-Gresham Fire, Dixie Fire, and UT EMS were dispatched to a home with a reported attic fire on County Road 194.

Noonday Engine 1 arrived first on scene, reporting heavy fire and smoke from the roof. It was undetermined how far the fire had spread through the attic until crews entered the home, fighting the fire from an attic access in the garage.

After a knockback of the blaze, it was found that the fire hadn’t spread across the attic, meaning it was centralized on the bravo side. Firefighters also attacked from the exterior before getting a ventilation crew to go on the roof. A control time was called at 3:48PM.

Firefighters rescued numerous pets from the home, safely putting them back into the hands of the homeowners. No injuries were reported at the scene. The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office.

Great work, gentlemen!

At 2:01 PM Wednesday, a volunteer with the Noonday Fire Department advised Smith County Dispatch that a mobile home at this location had a fire on the front porch spreading to the center. Moments later, Whitehouse Fire, City of Whitehouse Fire, Flint-Gresham Fire, Chapel Hill Fire, UT EMS, and the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office were responding to the scene. At this moment, it was still being determined whether the home was occupied.

Smith County ESD2 Chief 3 arrived first on scene, reporting a double-wide mobile home with heavy fire in the front, heavy smoke coming out of the backside and potential exposure, and a carport on the side of the house. Whitehouse Engine 1 and COW Fire (City of Whitehouse) Engine 102 arrived next, pulling multiple hose lines to the front and rear of the structure for a fast attack. Crews around the back of the structure forced entry, allowing them to attack from the home’s interior. Two tankers arriving from Chapel Hill Fire supplied water to the two engines already on scene.

Flint-Gresham Engine 1 was assigned to a primary search for victims. Moments later, Chief 3 learned that there was only a dog inside the residence and informed the Flint-Gresham firefighters, who were already searching. The pet was rescued and brought outside where the UT EMS crew on standby gave efforts to restore life. Unfortunately the pet did not make it. Firefighters worked hard battling the fire in every possible crook and cranny that the structure held, from the attic to the underside of the home.

The fire was under control at approximately 3:00 PM. The mobile home suffered extensive damage; no injuries were reported. According to the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office, the cause of the fire is believed to be a heat lamp that was on the front porch to keep pets warm.

At 7:23 PM Sunday, Arp Fire was dispatched to assist Overton and Rusk County Fire Departments with a structure fire on Main St in downtown Overton. Upon arrival, fire units found a metal structure fully involved with heavy smoke and flames blowing large embers in the wind. Arp Fire, Jackson Heights Fire, and Smith County ESD2 Command Staff responded to the scene. 

Smith County ESD2, Rusk County ESD1, and Volunteers worked together for a defensive fire attack, putting together all of their resources on the exterior of the building to stop the fire from spreading. Henderson Fire responded with a ladder truck, ultimately an incredible tool for the firefighters, providing ariel ability to observe and fire attack. Several Law Enforcement agencies responded for traffic control as a portion of HWY 135 was shut down so firefighters could work safely. 

A control time was called at 10:27 PM, and fire crews remained on the scene all night through sunrise hitting hot spots to ensure the fire was out. ATF Fire Investigators were on the scene Tuesday morning assessing the scene, and a cause is not yet determined. The burned structure was a beloved community center and a part of First Baptist Church in Overton. Amazing work by all of our first responders! 

Responding Agencies are tagged below: 

Smith County ESD2, Arp Volunteer Fire Department, Jackson Heights Volunteer Fire Department, Constable Josh Joplin Smith County Precinct 4, Rusk County OEM, Rusk County Sheriff’s Office, Overton Fire Department, Overton Police Department, Carlisle Volunteer Fire Department, Crims Chapel Volunteer Fire Department, Henderson Fire Department, New London VFD, Sabine Fire & Rescue, CHRISTUS EMS, and Troup Police Department.

At 10:08 PM on July 13^th, 2022, the Noonday Fire Department was dispatched for a commercial fire alarm, showing “general fire”, at the 10200 BLK of Robinson Drive in Tyler. While Noonday units were responding, this was upgraded to a structure fire as a caller on location reported seeing flames from the building. Flint-Gresham, Dixie, Chapel Hill Fire Departments, and UT Health EMS were then dispatched to the structure fire.  

Noonday FD, arriving first on scene, reported a metal commercial structure with heavy fire from the left side of the building. Firefighters worked on the left side of the building after making entry. Interior crews worked their way through the building and opened a bay door on the front side, where they reported having all fire knocked out from their location. 

Moments after, more flames emerged over the roof from the back side of the building and were quickly knocked down. A hole was cut in the roof to help ventilate the structure while more crews continued working fire inside. Command asked for a control time at 11:40 PM. Units stayed on scene until approximately 2:30 AM.  

*Emergency Media does not know the cause of the fire. All our information is from what was observed on scene. 

At 11:28 PM on Wednesday, July 13th, 2022, Flint-Gresham, Bullard, and Noonday Fire Departments were dispatched to a reported back porch fire with a structure in danger at the 2100BLK of Old Oak Circle. Several Smith County Fire ESD2 departments were already on the scene of a commercial structure fire on Robinson Dr and some left to respond to Old Oak Circe. Bullard Engine 2 arrived first on the scene, advising incoming units that the structure was a single-story, single-family home with a working fire. A single occupant was out of the house and firefighters rescued a dog from inside. Command gave secondary arriving units the instructions to establish a water supply, as the fire had worked its way into the home’s garage.   

At 11:45 PM, assistance from the Tyler Fire Department was requested and Engine 4 was dispatched to the scene. Firefighters reported to command that the fire had spread from the patio to the garage, and now into the attic. Tyler Fire’s Ladder 2 was then requested to the scene, as was Dixie Engine 2, an Engine that was leaving the fire on Robinson Dr. Approval from Tyler Fire Administration was needed for Engine 4 and Ladder 2 to be pulled from service in the city so that they could respond on mutual-aid. Once the request was approved, Engine 4 and Ladder 2 responded to Old Oak Circle.   

About 10 minutes later, it was reported to command that the roof was starting to collapse with firefighters working in the interior of the structure. They were ordered to retreat immediately and 3 horn blasts were sounded off by one of the trucks, in case the firefighters inside couldn’t hear their radios. All the firefighters got out safely, and moments after, the roof fell in, exposing more flames and smoke. Tactics then switched to defensive firefighting so the blaze wouldn’t spread to any neighboring homes.   

Control time for the fire was called at 1:04 AM. UT Health EMS helped with rehab for the firefighters, as well as neighboring families providing snacks as well as ice coolers filled with water and sports drinks. Departments that responded to the scene are as follows; Bullard FD, Whithouse FD, Noonday FD, Dixie FD, Flint-Gresham FD, Chapel Hill FD, Tyler Fire-Rescue, and UT Health EMS. All units were clear of Old Oak Circle at about 3:30 AM. In total, there were 7 fire apparatus, 3 support units, and 7 command vehicles on the scene.   

LIVESTREAM: https://youtu.be/9Qdv_-aGIug

*Emergency Media does not know the cause of the fire. All our information is from what was observed on scene.