Mower crew helps battle grass fire in Bryan

A passing city mower crew and a group of Eagle employees used their feet, a cardboard sign and fire extinguishers to battle a small grass fire that ignited a telephone pole on Goessler Road on Wednesday afternoon.

The fire broke out just before 3 p.m. near the Eagle office and The Grove apartments.

Bob Wheeler, a spokesman for Bryan Texas Utilities, said a capacitor on the pole shorted and started the fire. He said a capacitor is similar to a battery in that it stores energy and releases it when necessary.

No power outages resulted from the fire, and Wheeler said damage to the pole was negligible. The capacitor has been replaced.

“Those guys did a good job,” said Lt. Jim Zanek, with Bryan Fire Department’s Engine 3. “It was pretty well out by the time we got here.”
From The Bryan College Station Eagle