Several fire departments responded to a major fire at Rey’s Auto Parts and Sales here after a blaze broke out mid-afternoon Wednesday.
The fire sent a billowing plume of black smoke into the air and caused traffic delays as cars were rerouted by first responders.
Alamo Police Chief Richard Ozuna said dispatch received a call from Rey’s Auto at 3:39 p.m. reporting that a fire had broken out in the building, located on the frontage road of Expressway 83 near North Border Road.
Ozuna said wind blew the fire out of control and mutual aid was called from different cities, including Alamo, San Juan, Donna, Weslaco, Edinburg and McAllen.
While firefighters worked on the fire, Ozuna said his department evacuated people in the area for their safety.
By 5:30 p.m., firefighters had tamed the blaze.
“It’s not fully extinguished yet, but it’s pretty much under control,” Ozuna said.
He wasn’t sure how extensive the damage at Ray’s was and can’t be certain no other nearby structures burned, although he was hopeful nothing else caught on fire.
“It doesn’t look like it right now,” he said.
Ozuna also said that no serious injuries tied to the fire have been reported.
“Maybe some of the firefighters — dehydration, going through something, but we actually got some water bottles to them a little while ago,” he said.
Dry conditions and windy weather have made the Rio Grande Valley dangerously combustible. Readers are reporting at least one additional grass fire in the vicinity of southern Brooks County near Encino, although officials have yet to comment on that fire.
