What to Know
- A Fort Worth firefighter responded to a fire this week -- at his own home.
- The fire happened in the 1800 block of Grand Ave. Investigators believe the cause is electrical.
- A Go Fund Me has been established to help Mercado and his family get back on their feet.
A Fort Worth firefighter who was called to a fire at his own home earlier this week is now getting help from his fellow firefighters.
Fire Inspector Alberto Mercado was working nearby when he heard a report his house in the 1800 block of Grand Avenue was on fire.
His wife and three children have lived there for years, neighbors said.
"I can't hardly believe it was my house that caught fire. It's still kind slowly sinking in," said Mercado.
By the time he and fellow firefighters arrived, flames were already leaping from the roof. Damage to the house is substantial.
"It's always an extra kick in the gut when you know that it's somebody you know or it's actually your house,” said firefighter Kyle Clay.
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JoAnn Martindale lives across the street.
"It's scary. It can happen to anybody,” Martindale said. "It went up real quick.”
Mercado and his family were gone when the fire started. Nobody was hurt, but Mercado's pet birds died in the fire.
Six days before Christmas, the firefighter and his family are suddenly without their home.
"I have three kids and we're trying to keep it routine. We're staying right now at a hotel and trying to make do with what we have," explained Mercado. "It's kind of tough, you know, right here before Christmas."
The Fort Worth Firefighters Union has established a Go Fund Me page to help get Mercado and his family back on their feet, you can find it by clicking here.
Mercado said investigators believe the cause of the fire was electrical.
