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WORLD> America
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Dozens of homes destroyed in Texas, Oklahoma fires
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-04-10 19:20 MIDWEST CITY, Okla. -- Fire crews in Oklahoma and Texas raced Thursday to control wind-whipped wildfires that destroyed dozens of homes, seriously injured two people, forced evacuations and shut down parts of a major highway.
Howling wind that had gusted to more than 60 mph grounded firefighting efforts by air in both states and drove blazes that scorched neighborhoods like "a war zone," Midwest City police Chief Brandon Clabes said. "The wind is the biggest issue, because we can't get ahead of the fires," Midwest City Fire Marshal Jerry Lojka said. By nightfall, wind gusts dropped to about 30 mph in many areas. Oklahoma County Sheriff John Wetsel said an estimated 100 homes or other structures were damaged or destroyed in the northeast part of the county, which includes Midwest City. Clabes said 20 homes were destroyed in one neighborhood alone. He described burned-out housing tracts, blackened vehicles and a fire that erupted at a broken natural gas line. Two small towns in Texas also were devastated by wildfires. Sunset and Stoneburg in Montague County were left in a heap of debris and ashes after several dozen homes were destroyed. Television news footage showed burning houses and oil tanks and the charred remnants of buildings. No injuries were immediately reported. The Oklahoma Department of Health reported 34 injuries related to the fires across that state. A firefighter battling a blaze in Lincoln County was hospitalized in stable condition with major burns and someone was severely injured after losing control of a vehicle on a smoke-covered road in Stephens County, officials said. Two firefighters were treated for exhaustion, and two others were treated for smoke inhalation. Crews already helping with blazes were being redirected because "there are fires everywhere," Chandler Emergency Management Director Larry Hicks said. "We've got fires breaking out where they've already been put out," he said. In Midwest City, some residents in the eastern part of the city of about 54,000 were told to head to a community center. The Lincoln County town of Sparks, which has about 150 residents, was also told to evacuate because of a large wildfire. |
