What to Know
- Fire has destroyed nine homes and possibly damaged another dozen.
- No injuries have been reported to either residents or firefighters.
- Fire is believed to have started after mowers hit rocks, throwing sparks that caught the grass on fire. Workers reported the fire to the Balch Springs Fire Department.
A large grass fire spread into a Balch Springs neighborhood Monday afternoon destroying at least nine homes and possibly damaging up to dozen others, officials say.
By Tuesday morning, hot spots that burned overnight still remained in the area. Downed power lines also presented issues for residents in the neighborhood.
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The fire is believed to have started when workers struck debris while mowing a large field on the northwest corner of Interstate 20 and South Belt Line Road. The fire then spread into an adjacent neighborhood where it first burned fences and then spread to homes along the 14700 block of Broadview Drive.
According to Balch Springs Fire Chief Eric Neil,
Fire officials responded to the grass fire at 3:17 p.m. on Monday, Balch Springs Fire Chief Eric Neil said in a press conference.
Balch Springs Fire Marshal Sean Davis told NBC 5 the fire crew responded with their one and only brush truck. Davis said the fire department only has eight firefighters working during the day and has received assistance from a number of nearby departments.
BALCH SPRINGS GRASS FIRE
The winds, which were between 15 and 20 miles per hour, contributed to the spread of the fire and allowed three acres of land to be burned on Monday.
Davis said on Monday there were 14 structures to have confirmed fire damage and that there may be as many as 20 with some kind of damage.
By Tuesday morning, Chief Neil said 26 homes were damaged, nine of which were deemed total losses.
Neil said in a press conference on Tuesday that the total value of the property lost in the fire was approximately $6,056,300.
Fire officials evacuated a string of homes along Broadview Drive and Bell Manor Court, not far from Mackey Elementary School, as a string of homes caught fire.
No injuries have been reported.
The American Red Cross is working with Balch Springs Emergency Management to make arrangements for the families displaced by the fire. The Balch Springs Recreation Center will be open and available for those impacted by the fire.
Chief Neil said donations are asked to go to Opal J. Smith Food Pantry.
Firefighters with a number of area departments are assisting Balch Springs in the fight including Dallas, Mesquite, Sunnyvale, Seagoville and Dallas County.
Check back and refresh this page for the latest information. NBC 5's Meredith Yeomans and Ken Kalthoff and Telemundo 39s Olivia Martinez contributed to this report.
Check back and refresh this page for the latest update. As developments unfold, elements of this story may change.
