Dry conditions could lead to wildfires that are difficult to control. well above normal temperatures return Friday
(BELL) BURN BAN- The Burn Ban is in effect for Bell County until 10AM on Monday, April 6.
( GATESVILLE) Texas (KWTX) —Dozens of fire crews are battling a major fire on the west side of the Square in downtown Gatesville, according to the Gatesville Police Department. The fire was reported Monday.
Three minor injuries have been reported in firefighters due to smoke inhalation, according to Gatesville City Manager Brad Hunt.
Dozens of fire crews are battling a major fire on the west side of the Square in downtown Gatesville, according to the Gatesville Police Department. The fire was Hunt confirmed officials received the call at 6:50 p.m. The Gatesville Volunteer Fire Department responded immediately and called for additional assistance after the fire broke out at the Freedom Bail Bonds building.
Gatesville Police Chief Jeff Clark said U.S. Route 84, also known as Main Street, is closed through downtown and is expected to remain closed overnight and potentially into the following day due to the instability of buildings along the route. Clark said the road will reopen once the buildings are safe enough for traffic to pass through.
Three businesses have allegedly been affected: Gatesville Messenger, Freedom Bail Bonds, and Leaird’s Furniture. The structures involved are believed to date to around 1900.
——
According to Chumley, the first call came in around 6:50 p.m. Monday and by the time the first units arrived, flames were visible and appeared to be coming from near the bail bonds office moving quickly through the newspaper office and on through the furniture store.
“At one point, I asked if we should take precautions to spray down the courthouse,” Chumley said. “But, thankfully, I was told it wasn’t quite time for that.”
Sadly, the mayor said, Leaird’s Furniture has been at that location for over 100 years.
Members of the Gatesville community are not only dealing with the loss of a historical building, but it’s also a loss of family history as well.
When news of the fire spread, members of the Gatesville community knew they were going to help in any way they could.
For them the simple act of collecting donated water for folks working on the scene is a small gesture for a building that has been part of their family stories for generations. Something that is certainly true for event organizer, Amber Tippit.
They water collection has been wrapped up for the day and that supplies will be distributed to the crews who worked on the scene and taken to the Gatesville Fire Department.
They have also set up an account at First National Bank of Evant where they are collection donations to help everyone who lost a job in the fire and donations can be made at the bank.
Tippit says they will be collecting donations for several days and plans for a countywide firefighter dinner on Friday are already in the works.
The Gatesville Messenger lost its building and nearly all of its archived records in a fire that burned through downtown Gatesville, publisher Sam Houston said Tuesday.
Houston described the loss as a complete devastation — not only because of the building itself, but because of what was stored inside.
“The building is a complete loss and all of our contents are lost also… it’s just a complete devastating loss,” Houston said.
The Gatesville Messenger was founded in 1887. While the newspaper had digitized some of its archived editions, Houston said the majority of its archives were paper copies stored inside the office.
————————–
(BARTLETT) YESTERDAY A BOIL WATER NOTICE ISSUED : Due to reduced distribution system pressure, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required the City of Bartlett public water system to notify all customers to boil their water prior to consumption
————
SPORTS/SCHOOL
——
——————————-