Shop Burns Down

Schulenburg Volunteer Fire Department fought a shop fire on Bryant Rd. just north of Interstate 10 Saturday afternoon, June 3. The call came in around 5:38 p.m.

SVFD Assistant Chief Drew Brossmann said the shop was fully engulfed in flames when the first firefighters arrived. The department responded with a tanker, three quick response trucks, and 16 firefighters. Brossmann said he could not determine how the fire started due to the amount of damage. He said the property owner told investigators that the fire may have started from a battery charger that was hooked to a dump truck inside the shop.

“He thinks it shorted out and started the fire,” Brossmann said. “It was kind of hard to tell because everything was so burned.”

The shop contained a tractor, tools, a welding machine and other assorted equipment, along with the dump truck. Brossmann said the shop and everything inside was a loss. Several old vehicles that were parked around the shop were damaged as well. A nearby home was not damaged.

Firefighters spent about two and a half hours at the scene. Fayette County Sheriff’s Office and Fayette County EMS assisted as well.

Then on Sunday around 9:34 a.m., SVFD received a call reporting a tree on fire at the corner of James Ave. and Kallus St. near Wolters Park in Schulenburg.

Brossmann said lightning struck the top of a palm tree and started a small fire. He said firefighters cut down the palm tree and put out the fire that was burning on top.