WESLACO -- Isidro Medrano could do nothing but watch as his 20-year-old home went up in flames Monday afternoon.
Weslaco and surrounding area firefighters arrived minutes after the call came in around 2:15 p.m. on Mile 6 and Mile 12 ¼ North in Weslaco.
Medrano’s daughter-in-law and 6-year-old grandson were inside when the fire started.
"I'm just happy they got out in time," Medrano said.
Windy conditions quickly fanned the fire.
It didn’t take long for the roof of the home to get swallowed up by the flames.
Although no one was injured in the blaze, the extreme heat did put firefighters more at risk, according to George Garrett, Emergency Management Coordinator in Weslaco.
He said short shifts were needed to keep them safe.
“The heat index was over 105 degrees... it takes a toll on firefighters very quickly when you're in bunker gear fighting these types of fires," Garrett said.
There were no fire hydrants in the immediate vicinity of the scene.
Tanker trucks needed to refill with water miles down the road.
Garrett said it did not impede efforts on the scene.
While the Hidalgo County fire marshal stood by to make his assessment as to what caused the flames, Medrano told Action 4 News that he already knew what destroyed his home.
"My grandson was messing with matches... and by the time my daughter-in-law found out... there was too much smoke and she pulled him out of there... and here we are,” he said.
Medrano believed his son had talked to his grandson about the dangers associated with playing with matches.
“It happened," he said. “It is what it is.”
Medrano called it one expensive match.
He does have plans to rebuild even though the home was not covered by fire insurance.
Fire investigators said it appeared the child lit paper in the garage-area and tried to use a fan to put the fire out.
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