City of Windcrest helps facilitate relief efforts for burned out family

5 victims hospitalized; fire destroys home on Windcrest Drive

WINDCREST, Texas – The City of Windcrest is asking residents to lend a helping hand to a family who lost everything in a house fire.

The fire on Windcrest Drive early Tuesday left five family members injured, including two grandparents, a daughter and her two sons, who attend kindergarten and first grade.

"The mother had woken to the smell of smoke in the house. She opened her bedroom door. When she opened the door, she saw the smoke and she closed the door, and then she took the kids out the front window," said Windcrest Fire Chief Dan Kramer.

It's unclear how the grandparents escaped, but they were found outside in the yard.

"Both the grandparents were intubated and sedated with severe injuries. The children were treated for minor smoke inhalation," Kramer said. The children's mother has also since been treated and released.

Kramer said the home is a total loss with damage estimated at more than $200,000.

City officials want to do what they can for the family.

“We’re very intentional about reaching out. So, yeah, we have a couple of efforts that are going on. People can go through our website to help financially, as well as (donate) clothing,” said Windcrest Mayor Dan Reese.

Two nights ago a home in Windcrest was lost in a terrible fire. Five people were hospitalized, two of them were young...

Posted by City of Windcrest on Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but fire officials don't think it's suspicious.

Fire officials did not find smoke detectors in the home and urged residents to make sure to have them installed in their homes.

They also they urge people to check smoke detector batteries regularly and said people should sleep with their bedroom doors closed, because they act as barriers to fire.


About the Authors: