Posts in category: Incidents

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 4:27 PM on Thursday, Red Springs Fire, Lindale Fire, Dixie Fire, and UT EMS were dispatched for a report of a house on fire near County Road 330 and County Road 331. While crews were responding, a Battalion Chief advised dispatch to add Chapel Hill Fire and Winona Fire to the call as there was a large amount of smoke in the sky. Red Springs Engine 1 arrived within minutes, advising all incoming units of a structure fully involved with grass fires surrounding.   

Firefighters used the engine’s deck gun to get an initial attack on the fire, blasting the roofline with mass amounts of water. As tanker trucks staged nearby prepared with water, the attack on the fire turned to hand tools and hand lines, breaking apart the burnt rubble to check for fire extensions.    

The house was unoccupied at the time of the fire. The fire’s cause is under investigation by the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office. No Injuries were reported. 

At 6:18 PM on Friday evening, Chapel Hill Fire, Jackson Heights Fire, Winona Fire, and UT EMS were dispatched to a structure fire at the 11000 block of FM 850. Jackson Heights Engine 1 arrived first on the scene advising incoming units of a double-wide mobile home about 50% involved with flames.  

Firefighters swiftly pulled a 2 ½ inch hose line for immediate suppression as secondary units set up a supply line for Jackson Engine 1. Firefighters utilized their master stream to knock back flames from the center of the mobile home before entering with hand lines for further suppression.  

Additionally, units from Red Springs Fire and Arp Fire were requested to the scene for more manpower on the fireground. As a result of the fire, the floor in the mobile home was collapsing under firefighters, so they moved to work the exterior. After pulling down multiple sheetrock walls to ensure the fire was out, a control time was called at 7:02 PM.  

Firefighters continued to rotate crews from rehab to working around the structure until night fell. A Smith County Fire Marshal was requested to the scene for investigations; the cause of the fire is unknown at this time. All units were clear of the scene at 9:00 PM. 

At 7:29 PM on Sunday evening, the Tyler Fire Department was dispatched to a residence on Palo Pinto Drive where neighbors reported seeing smoke coming from the garage. Tyler Fire Engine 8 arrived on the scene minutes later and reported heavy smoke from the garage. Firefighters worked inside extinguishing the fire, checking different areas of the home for extensions of the fire. A control time for the fire was called at 7:46 PM.

In an unusual turn of events, about an hour later, a resident who lived houses down from the first fire ran to firefighters to tell them that her attic was on fire. Luckily, firefighters acted swiftly and extinguished a small fire in the attic. No injuries were reported from either fire. UT EMS and Tyler Police also responded to the scene for assistance.

At 10:05 PM on September 5th, Tyler Fire Department’s Engine 1, Ladder 1, Battalion 1, Engine 6, and Engine 7 were dispatched to 801 W Bow Street for a reported vacant house on fire.  

Approximately two minutes later, Engine 1 arrived on scene and advised that the front of the vacant house was on fire. Other responding fire units quickly arrived shortly after. Firefighters knocked the fire down promptly, allowing them to gain entry to the structure and check for any possible occupants.   

A control time was called at 10:23 PM. For approximately the next hour and a half, fire units drowned hot spots and cleaned up their equipment. At 11:43 PM, all fire units were clear from the scene, with Tyler Fire Department’s Fire Marshal remaining on scene for investigation. 

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.