‘I can’t believe it was 10 years ago’: KPRC 2′s Khambrel Marshall remembers deadly Southwest Inn fire

Full Screen
1 / 6

Copyright 2023 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.

Southwest Inn fire

HOUSTON – Exactly 10 years ago to date, four Houston firefighters were killed in a massive fire at a motel in southwest Houston.

Back on May 31, 2013, firefighters were called to the five-alarm blaze at the Southwest Inn along the Southwest Freeway.

Recommended Videos



The fire captain at the time, Bill Dowling, believed three people were still trapped inside during the fire, prompting a rescue attempt.

During the rescue operation, firefighters Robert Bebee, Matthew Renaud, Anne Sullivan, and Robert Garner were all killed.

SEE ALSO: Remembering the victims of the Southwest Inn fire

From left: Matthew Renaud, Robert Bebee, Robert Garner, Anne Sullivan, Bill Dowling

Dowling was seriously injured in the collapse. His legs were amputated, and he was left unable to communicate after suffering serious brain damage. He died in 2017.

PHOTOS: HFD Capt. Bill Dowling through the years

Thirteen others were injured in the blaze.

KPRC 2 meteorologist and anchor Khambrel Marshall recalled the moments he stumbled upon the horrific scene.

Marshall said he and Photojournalist Wendel Johnson were on their way back to the KPRC 2 station when he noticed the smoke billowing across the Southwest Freeway.

“Once we got closer, we saw it,” he wrote. “The Southwest Inn Sports Bar was on fire. We made a quick u-turn at Bellaire and were the first media on the scene by about 10 minutes or more.”

Marshall says he began taking pictures of the men and women suited up to go inside and fight the blaze, noting that any one of those firefighters in the photos may have become victims amongst the flames just moments later.

An investigation revealed that the fire started in an attic about three hours before firefighters were called, and the department’s radio system became overloaded when rescue teams were trying to locate the missing firefighters.

Investigators found a total of eight factors that contributed to the fire.

PHOTOS: Never-before-seen photos of Southwest Inn fire


About the Authors:

Moriah Ballard joined the KPRC 2 digital team in the fall of 2021. Prior to becoming a digital content producer in Southeast Texas and a Houstonian, Moriah was an award-winning radio host in her hometown of Lorain, Ohio, and previously worked as a producer/content creator in Cleveland. Her faith, family, and community are her top passions.