Cutting, Shredding Sparks Two Fires

Any little spark will set off a fire in this drought. Such was the case twice on Tuesday for the La Grange Volunteer Fire Department.

The La Grange firefighters took the first call around 5 p.m. on July 26. The caller reported a grass fire at the end of Egypt Rd. near Plum. When the fire department got there, they found they discovered about four acres of a corn patch on fire. La Grange Asst. Fire Chief Frankie Srubar said the farm ers were cutting and baling the corn for hay. Srubar said the fire started from a bearing that failed on the cutter.

La Grange VFD responded with three fire trucks and six personnel. They spent about an hour and a half fighting the fire.

Shortly after the call on Egypt Rd. came in, La Grange VFD received another call of a grass fire on the LCRA property at the Fayette Power Project. Srubar said LCRA workers were shredding grass on the property.

He said a shredder hit a rock, which created enough sparks to start a grass fire.

The LCRA workers began fighting the flames with fire extinguishers as they called for help, Srubar said. La Grange VFD responded with one fire truck and two personnel. They called for mutual aid from Ellinger VFD, which sent a tanker and crew to the scene. Srubar said the crews were able to quickly put out the fire.

Srubar said the last firefighters returned to the station shortly before 7 p.m.