Mineral Wells Index, Mineral Wells, TX

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June 13, 2008

Firefighters battle Graford-area blaze

By Lacie Morrison
lmorrison@mineralwellsindex.com

GRAFORD – A number of firefighters joined forces Wednesday to battle a grassfire sparked by a fallen electrical line.

Graford Volunteer Fire Chief Tom Page told the Index the grassfire started after a dozer struck a telephone pole and broke the electric line.

“It hit the ground and ignited,” Page said.

The fire began at 2:30 p.m. on a ranch east of Graford and about three-quarters of a mile east of the roadside park on State Highway 254, Page explained.

According to the National Weather Service, southern winds were blowing at 16 mph to 18 mph with gusts up to 30 mph Wednesday afternoon.

The wind, Page said, “that’s what caused it to get out of control.”

A mutual aid request was sent out and volunteer firefighters from Possum Kingdom-East, Mineral Wells, Palo Pinto, Santo, Lone Camp and the Texas Forest Service responded. Three departments – Mineral Wells, Graford and Possum Kingdom – brought out 3,000-gallon tankers to the scene, Page recalled.

“The Graford Fire Department would like to thank the members of the other departments for coming out,” Page said.

The fire burned 85 acres over a combination of rocky and brushy terrain. The TFS sent in a helicopter that dropped fire suppression while two bulldozers “cut a line around the fire to keep it contained,” Page explained.

“We saved two barns and a home,” he added. “We got the fire out before it got to those.”

The fire was contained at approximately 6 p.m. and no structures were reported lost. As of Thursday, a monetary value for the fire damage wasn’t available. No injuries were reported and they were able to clear the scene at 9 p.m.

Another fire was reported Wednesday evening in the Garner area but further information was unavailable Thursday.

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