Hoover Valley blaze sparks call for more volunteers and support
Volunteer firefighters worked to subdue a structure fire in Hoover Valley that started the night of July 1. Several agencies responded to the blaze and managed to get it under control. Hoover Valley Volunteer Fire Department photo
Several agencies responded to a structure fire in Hoover Valley that started Monday night and continued into Tuesday morning. The intense blaze highlighted the heroics of local first responders and also a need for more volunteer firefighters.
The fire reportedly began around 8:30 p.m. July 1. Firefighters managed to contain it by 1 a.m. the next morning. However, the fire rekindled at around 3 a.m., and firefighters returned to the scene and continued the fight until after sunrise Tuesday.
No one was injured in the blaze, but the structure was destroyed.
Cassie Fire Chief Derrick Curtis said he didn’t get back to the station until after 10 a.m. Tuesday. He told DailyTrib.com that the fire’s cause was likely accidental.
Curtis also spoke up for the Hoover Valley Volunteer Fire Department, the first responding agency, which he said has a dire need for more volunteers.
“Hoover Valley (VFD) was kind of struggling for people so they rely heavily on mutual aid,” he said. “You’re limited with what you can do with a few people.”
DailyTrib.com was unable to reach Hoover Valley VFD before this story’s publication to get exact numbers, but Curtis believes the department only has three or four volunteers.
Hoover Valley Chief Joe Schreiber and Assistant Chief Cody Dickson were on the scene of the fire throughout the night but also had to respond to a medical issue concerning a child between the initial blaze and when it rekindled.
“Last night, we had a structure fire call, a child medical call, and recalled back to the structure fire,” reads a Facebook post from the Hoover Valley department on Tuesday morning. “The same two responders responded to these calls. They were awake all night and still have day jobs to go to now as well. Can y’all imagine how tired they are today?”
The post went on to ask for support from the Hoover Valley community and more volunteers.
“This is why we need help y’all,” the post continued. “We need volunteers. We get it, it’s free. It’s doing something for nothing in a world where time is money. But it is for your community! It is for you when you have an emergency! Do you have it in your heart to help?”
Contact the Hoover Valley VFD at 512-756-4216 or hoovervalleyvfd@gmail.com. The fire station is located at 303 CR 118B, with a Burnet address.
Agencies responding to the fire were the Hoover Valley VFD, Cassie VFD, East Lake Buchanan VFD, Burnet Fire Rescue, Granite Shoals Fire Rescue, Marble Falls Fire Rescue, and Marble Falls Area EMS.