Rural fire displaces family

ROBERT PIERCE • Leader & Times

Wednesday’s windy weather resulted in a fire with estimated damages and losses of nearly $200,000 on a property in rural Texas County, Okla.

Guymon, Okla., Fire Chief Grant Wadley issued a press release stating around 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, firefighters responded to a 911 call of a structure fire seven miles north of Guymon on State Highway 136.

Wadley said firefighters arrived to find a family home with heavy smoke and fire coming from the front windows of the house.

“Firefighters were quickly able to force entry and begin extinguishing the fire located in the living room and kitchen area of the home,” he said. 

Wadley said the homeowner and their three children were not home at the time, and the home sustained extensive damage from the fire and heavy smoke conditions.

“The Red Cross assisted at the scene in the immediate needs of the family which are currently displaced due to the extent of damage,” he said.

At the time, winds were reaching 35 to 45 mph from the southwest, and Wadley said firefighters were able to contain the fire just to the house and not into nearby dry pastures.

“No injuries were reported,” he said. “Damages and losses are estimated at $190,000. Guymon firefighters remained on scene for the next two hours and were assisted at the scene by the Hough Volunteer Fire Department, Texas County Sheriff’s Office, Texas County Emergency Management, Texas County District No. 2, Tri-County Electric and Oklahoma Red Cross.”