Spring Fire Fights Blaze Sparked by Storm

Story by Hannah Falcon / Pictures by Joe Buvid

During a raging thunderstorm on Thursday, July 12, 2018, lightning struck a commercial complex off Interstate 45. The resulting fire burned for 30-40 minutes before an off-site business owner noticed the smoke on security camera feeds.

After the business owner called 9-1-1, Spring Fire Engine 78 was first on the scene in three minutes and nine seconds.

“Some of the SFD units were not far away as they were clearing up from checking on a residential lightning strike just a short distance away in Northgate Crossing,” Spring District Chief Chris vonWiesenthal said. “A truly professional grade response time.”

Crews from Spring Fire 70, 71, 72, 76, 77 and 78 all responded along with Ponderosa Engine 62, District Chief 60, South Montgomery County Ladder 11-4, Tanker 11-1 and Battalion 11-2. Klein Engine 72 covered Spring Station 72 while the station’s crews were at the fire scene.

By the time the first fire engines arrived, flames were shooting through the roof of the warehouse. Crews had to work smart and swift to suppress the fire as the fire hydrants nearest to the scene were not working.

“Rapid interior firefighting efforts utilizing the on-board water from the responding fire trucks, as well as water tender apparatus that were quickly ‘special called’ to the scene,” vonWiesenthal said. “The courageous firefighting efforts proved successful in minimizing the financial loss to the businesses involved and the building sustained only a limited amount of structural damage.”

Active electrical storms, like the one on Thursday night, always mean a busy night for Spring Fire. However, this structure fire was particularly noteworthy because of size, difficulty and injury.

One Spring firefighter sustained a minor injury on the scene, but is expected to make a full and fast recovery.

“This fire was the most significant event that occurred during a very busy response period when the severe weather moved through last night,” vonWiesenthal said.

Hannah Falcon is a sophomore Communication major at Texas A&M University. A Staff Writer and Life & Arts Editor for the Texas A&M Battalion, Falcon is spending the summer as a volunteer writer for Spring Fire Community News.