Firefighters from five area departments responded late Sunday night to a fire that ultimately burned a house down in Licking.
Houston Rural Fire Department Chief Don Gaston said six men from his department and one from the City of Houston FD provided mutual aid to the blaze at 11771 Reed Road. Firefighters from the Licking, Raymondville and Edgar Springs departments also went to the scene, but the combined (and lengthy) efforts of all the responders wasn’t enough to save the residence.
Gaston said the house was lived in by a full-time firefighter at Fort Leonard Wood and his family.
“We spent a lot of effort trying to save it,” he said, “but it was one of those where we couldn’t get on top of it. After about three or four hours of battling, we gave it up.”
Firefighters waged a long, hard battle with heat and flames inside the house, Gaston said.
“We were inside, and it really put a strain on everybody,” he said. “After 30 minutes of being inside with a fire, it really takes a toll. I had four guys who were in for an hour during the first set.”
Gaston said that while firefighters held off the destruction as long as they could, most of the family’s furniture and clothing were removed from the burning house and saved.
“It’s smoke damaged, but every little bit helps,” Gaston said.
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EARLIER: Personnel from five fire departments were called at about 11 p.m. to a house fire at Licking.
Firefighters from Licking, Houston Rural, Raymondville, Houston and Edgar Springs were called to 11771 Reed Road.