CLEAR LAKE SHORES, Texas – A Galveston County family’s home was destroyed after a fire that moved too fast for firefighters to save the structure.
The flames captured on neighbors’ cell phone videos show the fire ripping through the three-and-a-half-story home in Clear Lake Shores, Texas. The fire, which started just before 5 p.m. Wednesday, almost immediately threatened neighboring homes.
“Very scary, especially from my neighbor’s house here,” said neighbor Nancy Schwartz. “They’re right behind the house that was on fire and just trying to make sure their house didn’t catch fire.”
Firefighters said because of heavy fire coming from multiple sides of the home they decided to make a defensive attack.
As opposed to entering the home to extinguish the fire they chose to fight it from the outside to prevent it from spreading. At one point on one neighbor’s phone, you can hear what sounds like ammunition popping.
“Sounded like ammunition to me,” Schwartz said. “I don’t know that. But I know what ammunition sounds like. Sort of sounds like that.”
The fire caused extensive damage to the home including the two-story detached garage. A home near that garage also sustained some minor damage from the heat and flames.
Fire crews remained on the scene for several hours to manage the hot spots to keep the fire from restarting.
“When I started to hear more and more sirens I knew that it was definitely serious,” said neighbor Emily Warner.
Four agencies responded to the fire. The cause is under investigation.