A mid-morning fire near Lake Conroe on Tuesday injured a man and damaged several businesses, but could have been far worse if not for the rapid response of the nearby Lake Conroe Fire Department.
The fire began around 11:15 a.m. inside Hortman Family Chiropractic in the Spring Hill Center on Texas 105 West near Navajo.
Investigator Jeff Williams with the Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office said the fire started when a man was “sweating pipes,”
meaning putting a pair of copper pipes together, which sparked a fire in the insulation. The fire then spread upwards inside the wall and into the attic, Williams said.
“(The victim) tried to pull out the insulation to stop the fire from spreading and sustained first and second degree burns to his right hand,” Williams said.
The injured man was treated on scene by Montgomery County EMS.
Lake Conroe Fire Chief Leonard Mikeska said his department, which is less than a mile from the center, had about a thirty-second response time.
“We arrived to find heavy smoke and it was obvious it was in the attic,” Mikeska said.
Thanks to a fast attack and assistance from the Montgomery Fire Department, the blaze was stopped before it spread to the entire center, which is also home to Fajita Jack’s, a popular lake area Mexican restaurant.
“Lake Conroe and Montgomery firefighters are to be commended for their efforts,” Mikeska” said.
Eight businesses were affected, with two sustaining heavy damage and the other six damaged by smoke, he said.
Williams said the fire was ruled accidental.
