Busy Day: Local Firefighters Help Neighbors With Massive Fire, Then Face Haz-Mat Leak

Volunteer firefighters in Fayette County had a busy Monday, July 11.

The massive Dry Rice Fire in Colorado County south of Columbus led officials there to call for help from dozens of surrounding agencies. Fayette County Emergency Management Chief Craig Moreau said a task force of about 14 firefighters from Ellinger, Fayetteville and Schulenburg went there to assist. They brought along three grass trucks, a pumper and a tanker.

Moreau also responded and assisted the incident management team directing the response.

The fire burned about 326 acres near the intersection of SH 71 and Colorado County Rd. 103. Colorado County Emergency Management Chief Chuck Rogers reported that more than 40 agencies from around the region, including 25 fire departments, responded to the fire.

Rogers said the fire is believed to have started from an overhead electrical line that fell down and started sparking.

“With the dry conditions, it didn’t take much for it to spread quickly,” he said.

Rogers said the fire was about 90 percent contained on Wednesday and he expected operations to conclude by the end of the day.

“The support from citizens has been great,” Rogers said. “We had donations coming in to all the fire departments – Gatorade, water, those kid of things. It was a region-wide effort.”

Rogers said the Dry Rice Fire was the biggest wildfire in Colorado County since 2011.

Schulenburg Evacuation

Moreau said he was preparing to send a team with drinking water and food to the firefighters in Columbus when a call came in reporting a hazardous chemical leak at the Pilot Truck Stop in Schulenburg on Monday. Schulenburg Volunteer Fire Department responded and called for a hazardous material cleanup team from Hays County to assist.

The chemical was sulfur dioxide. The gas began leaking from a commercial vehicle due to either a faulty valve or gasket, Moreau said. One Schulenburg firefighter was exposed to the gas and developed shortness of breath, Moreau said. Fayette County EMS transported the injured firefighter to Columbus Community Hospital, where he later recovered.

While the Haz-Mat team was enroute, Schulenburg officials evacuated residents from an area a mile north of the truck stop and a half-mile in other directions. The Haz-Mat team arrived and contained the leak by around 4:30 p.m.

Quiet 4th of July

In related news, Moreau wished to thank the public for exercising caution regarding fireworks over the July 4 holiday.

“I think it is worth celebrating that Fayette County residents and visitors were able to celebrate the July 4th holiday weekend with no fireworks related fires,” Moreau said. “Until we get a significant amount of rain, any spark or flame can lead to a rapidly spreading fire. Our dedicated county firefighters appreciate the partnership of the citizens to keep fires from starting.”