Winnsboro, TX- Just before midnight on Sunday, August 28, 2022, a 911 call came into Hopkins county for a vehicle on fire. When firefighters arrived on the scene at a storage facility on Highway 11, the 2005 Ford Escape on fire had already been put out by a neighbor.
The Escape owner stated that he had a gas can in the car when he was "brake-checked" earlier that evening, causing the can to spill its contents and throwing his phone to the floor. When he arrived home, he used his lighter to look for his phone, which ignited the gas-soaked carpeting.
The neighbor, who wishes to remain anonymous, was on his front porch when he saw the flames in the vehicle's windows. He says, "I saw flames inside the car and thought it couldn't be real, but then realized it was real!" He ran inside to tell his wife to call 911 while grabbing the fire extinguisher from the porch. She called the emergency number and was told she needed to evacuate the other three tiny homes on the property, which she did. He was able to open a door on the vehicle and get the flames put out by the time the firefighters arrived. Although the Escape was a total loss, he was able to keep the flames from spreading to the tiny homes nearby. The fire departments then ensured the fire was completely out before leaving the scene.
First responders were on the scene within a few minutes. The incident was at the far Southeast corner of Hopkins County, just past Winnsboro City limits. Small towns and counties often work together when responding to calls, and Winnsboro and other nearby towns are always grateful to see such a response when needed.
Responding entities included Hopkins county Fire Department and Brinker volunteer fire department. Also responding were Hopkins County Sheriffs' department, Texas DPS, and Winnsboro Police department.
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