Willis –Two Willis residents were rescued around 6:30 a.m. this morning as another early morning fire destroyed their home at 11104 Hwy 75 near Willis High School.
The fire broke out shortly after 3 AM in the front of the home while the residents slept. Heavy smoke and fire filled the residence, trapping one of the residents, a 74 yr old male, in the rear of the home. The other resident, a 46 yr old female called 911, but was unable to move the disabled victim out of the home. A driver with Adamick’s Wrecker Service was passing by and went to their aid, pulling the female out of the burning home. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies and Willis Police were on scene as well attempting to locate the residents as firefighters arrived.
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Firefighters from the North Montgomery County Fire Department were dispatched at 03:13, arrived at 03:18, and immediately entered the heavily involved home. NMCFD Engine 91 and MCHD Paramedics Keith Hahn and Morgan Clark were first on scene. Firefighters Josh Montgomery, Travis Johnson and Kirsten Smith entered the burning home to search for the elderly male. E91’s crew located the victim in heavy smoke and heat conditions and moved him to a window, passing him out the window to FF. Chance Montgomery and Paramedic Hahn. The victim was rescued at 03:26 hours.
In addition to the assistance from MCSO and WPD, two additional MCHD units responded and transported both residents to Conroe Regional Medical Center. The Conroe Fire Department and Montgomery Fire Department each sent additional units to assist at the scene.
Both residents suffered severe smoke inhalation, but are reported to be in stable condition at this time. The victims may require treatment in a hyperbaric chamber due to the amount of smoke and toxic gases they inhaled. Their condition will be updated as further information is available.
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This fire is the latest in a string of late night fires in Montgomery County,
leaving a total of 7 Montgomery County residents in area Hospitals suffering from either smoke inhalation or burn injuries.
As in many of the other recent fires, it appears there were no working smoke detectors in the home tonight. Just two nights ago, the same crew of Paramedics and Firefighters responded to another fire just North of Willis. That house fire in the Arrowhead Lakes subdivision left residents Sandra Wright and Russell Pate with critical burn injuries.
With the recent cold weather, Montgomery County has seen a number of similar fires, and these injuries bring the total to 20 this year already, as compared to 16 for all last year.
The NMCFD and Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office would like to stress our previous recommendations.
1. Every room where someone sleeps should have a working smoke detector. Having a working smoke detector cuts your chances of dying in a fire by 50% according to national statistics.
2. Heating equipment should be checked to make sure it is operating properly, and a distance of at least 3 feet should be maintained between any heating equipment.
The Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office will be investigating to determine the cause of this fire.
