Mexia Councilman Butch Newhouse's home escaped catastrophic damage thanks to quick thinking by a college-age neighbor who spotted a glow in a window and a fast response from the Mexia Fire Department. Only one room caught fire, but the whole house suffered smoke damage and displaced the family. Restoration will take about a month. Photo by David Webb/The Mexia News
Mexia firefighters save councilman's home
By David Webb
Mexia Councilman Butch Newhouse's home caught fire about midnight April 5, but Mexia firefighters saved the structure from being destroyed.
"They got here really fast, and they were able to contain the fire quickly," said Newhouse, who noted that no one was home at the time, except for the family's two dogs. "They did a fantastic job."
The firefighters put out the fire that apparently started in a downstairs dining room before it burned through the ceiling to the second floor, and they saved the two dogs.
"Capitan Johnnie Brown and his young crew really worked efficiently," Newhouse said. "If it had burned through to the second floor it would have spread through the whole house in no time."
Mexia Fire Chief Robert LaFoy said the fire department was alerted to the fire in the 900 block of La Villeta street Sunday morning, April 6, at 12:31 a.m and arrived nine minutes later. The fire was extinguished five minutes later, he said.
LaFoy noted the cause of the fire is still under investigation, but Newhouse said the cause of the fire appears to be "electrical in nature."
Newhouse said a neighbor, college student Hunter Murphy, was returning from a Rangers game and saw a glow in a house window and realized it might be a fire. The subsequent 911 emergency call brought the fire department to the scene.
"Kudos to him," Newhouse he said. "He took the time to figure out what was happening."
Newhouse said that although the fire only destroyed one room it covered everything in the house with soot. Everything in the house must be removed and cleaned, and the damage repaired before the family can return, he said.
"They said it will take about a month, but I hope it will be sooner than that," said Newhouse, who with his wife checked into a hotel with their dogs.
Newhouse said it was eerie to return to his street soon after the fire and see firetrucks and hoses everywhere, not knowing there had been a fire at his house. "It was a strange feeling," he said.
