SAN ANTONIO – Bexar County fire investigators believe fireworks left smoldering inside a trash can could be what started a fire that damaged two homes early Wednesday morning.
Firefighters responded to the 11800 block of Knobsby Way in West Bexar County around 1 a.m.
RELATED: Trash can fire causes roughly half-million dollars in damage to 2 West Bexar County homes
Tom Peine, a public information officer for Bexar County, said the initial reports were for a fence on fire between the two homes.
However, he said when crews arrived, they found a full-blown fire which eventually involved two homes next door to each other.
He said a trash can near the fence appears to be where the fire started.
“The deputies found out that it was fireworks debris that may have still been smoldering. It was put in the trash can,” he said.
Both homes were left with major damage, totaling in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Seven people in all who were inside the two homes managed to escape safely.
Peine said he sees fires like this, related to fireworks, at least once a year at this time.
“The tragedy in these situations is that it’s usually the last thing that people do,” he said. “They shoot off the fireworks, throw away the debris. They put the trash can aside.”
Completing one small but important step, he said, can save people a lot of heartbreak and regret, not to mention a lot of property damage.
“Take the time. Dunk (used fireworks) into a bucket of water,” Peine said. “The best thing is leave it until the next morning and then put it into the trash can.”
In addition to the house fires, Peine said Bexar County fire crews also put out several fires in dumpsters overnight that were related to discarded fireworks.