Cause of Blaze Determined

from the Southbelt-Ellington Leader

The Dec. 5 fire that consumed two houses in the 11400 block of Sagewhite was started by a 14-year-old resident of one of the homes who was burning leaves, according to fire department officials. No criminal charges will be filed, as the incident was accidental.

After raking leaves, the juvenile ignited them as a method of disposal. The fire, however, quickly became uncontrollable and spread to a nearby palm tree. The tree, in turn, fell onto the the garage, which rapidly became engulfed in flames. The youth solicited help from neighbors to try and extinguish the fire, but it was too late.

Confounding matters, the home’s patio cover, also ablaze, fell and broke a gas pipe, fueling the fire. The flames then spread to the second residence, according to Chuck Tylka, chief of the Southeast Volunteer Fire Department.

Seven fire engines responded to the incident, including units from the SVFD, the Forest Bend Fire Department and the Houston Fire Department. It took roughly 35 firefighters to extinguish the blaze.

Luckily, no one was injured. Mary Holliman, a resident of one of the burned homes, said that while she is obviously saddened by the incident, she is thankful that only material items were destroyed. “All that was lost were ‘things’,” she said.

Holliman is also grateful for the response she has received from others in her time of need. “I’m thankful for how thoughtful and generous the community has been. Many people have offered me their homes to stay in,” she said.

Many in the area have contacted the Leader to inquire about how to help the residents affected by the blaze. Holliman said her family is relocating to an apartment, but have no furnishings. To aid in this, an account has been set up at Pearland Furniture to which people may donate funds.

Additionally, the Holliman family has opened a disaster relief account at Wells Fargo. Donations will be accepted at all bank locations under the Holliman family account.

The Leader has tried unsuccessfully to reach the residents of the second affected residence to set up similar accounts. Readers who know how to reach Daniel Robertson or Courtney Kennedy are urged to contact the paper at 281-481-5656 with any contact information.

While no criminal charges are being filed, fire department officials said it is likely the juvenile will be made to take fire safety classes.

Several local television networks erroneously reported the fire was caused by a faulty transformer.