House fire claims life

A Columbus woman lost her life in the early hours of Dec. 20, after flames engulfed her home completely.

Around 3:30 a.m. Friday, the Columbus Fire Department was dispatched to a raging house fire called in by a neighbor on the 300 block of Preston St.

Upon arrival, crews of firefighters encountered a large two-story home with heavy fire concentrated on the front wall. When the blaze was called in, it was reported that the homeowner might have been inside at the time.

The Colorado County Sheriff’s Office and Columbus Police Department attempted to breach the doors but were unable to gain access due to their sturdiness. The Columbus VFD forced entry through the garage and deployed a rescue search team for an initial sweep of the residence.

After their air supply was exhausted, the Weimar VFD entered to continue the search. Both teams reached the victim’s bedroom on the second floor but were forced to abandon the search due to deteriorating structural conditions and unsafe rescue environments.

The victim, a woman, was in the home at the time of the fire and was unable to escape the blaze as a result.

The fire was ultimately extinguished using the Columbus Fire Department’s new Engine and Tower 14, with water supplied by two separate hydrants.

The agencies assisting on scene were the Columbus VFD, Weimar VFD, Frelsburg VFD, Bernardo VFD, the Colorado County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado County EMS, the Columbus Texas Police Department, Columbus Utilities, AEP and the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office.

“Our hearts are with the family impacted by this tragedy,” said the Columbus VFD in a Facebook post. “We are also deeply moved by the outpouring of support from the community. We extend our gratitude to all responding agencies for their unwavering dedication.”

Due to the severity of the incident, the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office was requested to conduct a formal investigation.

As of press time, details of the fire are unknown, and the name of the victim has not been released.