McALLEN — With two fatal fires last month and freezing weather on its way that presents a potential for fires and other calamities, the McAllen Fire Department is raising awareness about holiday safety while using the blazes as examples of the dangers of neglecting life-saving measures urged during this time of year.
Assistant Fire Chief Juan Gloria also warned of the upcoming inclement weather and provided ways to overcome and survive the low temperatures.
“The temperatures are going to drop below freezing levels,” Gloria said. “This is going to start on Thursday … especially sunset time, moving forward, is when the temperature is going to start dropping drastically in a matter of just a few hours.”
Regarding the recent fatalities due to house fires, the first mentioned resulted in the death of a 58-year-old Adrian Gonzalez who died after his mobile home in the 400 block of North McColl Road was engulfed in flames on Nov. 22.
Gloria described the blaze as “very advanced” when fire crews arrived at the scene and said the investigation revealed that Gonzalez had died of asphyxiation and that the fire was “accidental,” adding that there was no criminal element in this case.
He noted that the trailer home didn’t have any smoke detectors similar to the second fire that occurred on Nov. 26 at a home on 2018 Ebony Ave. which is “literally right down the street” from the firehouse.
Gloria said that there were three people in that house. One died from their injuries days later at a hospital in San Antonio while another person transported there survived.
He added that one person had escaped the fire but returned inside to help another person who was unable to escape, a move Gloria called a “big risk.”
“Here we have repeated situations of the individuals being outside of the home and going back inside,” Gloria said. “It’s very important to understand, once outside, please stay outside … a lot of fire fatalities are individuals that were already outside the home and opted for one reason or another to go back inside.”
Gloria didn’t provide the names and ages of the victims involved in the second fire due to the investigation still being open and for privacy of the victims.
Following the tragic examples, Gloria listed basic safety tips for the public including creating a fire plan where families can come together to decide on what actions to take in case of a blaze and fireproofing a home by checking electrical wiring, cables and making sure there’s plenty of ways to escape the home.
Families should decide on a destination they could rendezvous at if a fire were to break out, like the mailbox or a specific area outside the home, with the idea that no one is to return inside no matter what.
Space heaters should have three feet of space between them and any material that could combust or be caught in flames and never place one on top of carpet.
Gloria said if people use gas heaters or gas stoves, they should also have carbon monoxide detectors inside their home which are just as important as smoke detectors.
If a family has any concerns regarding their outlets, electrical system or breaker boxes, Gloria said those people should hire a professional electrician to conduct an inspection in order to verify the safety regarding the concern.
Similarly, if one is concerned about their gas piping or connections, they should hire a plumber to make sure all those components are safe and in working order.
Regarding the upcoming inclement weather, Gloria said the possibility of losing power at one’s home is high and some people tend to use generators in those situations. Generators should never be placed inside, he said.
“Make sure that your generator is out in the open in a well-ventilated area and even take into account the wind speed and the wind direction,” Gloria said.
It’s important to be aware of the wind direction as the exhaust from the generator could be entering a family’s home which can cause someone to asphyxiate.
Wires and cables on Christmas decorations should be checked to make sure they aren’t a hazard as well as extension cables used, especially if one uses a natural Christmas tree.
Gloria said to place the tree in a bowl of water so it can stay hydrated.
He added that the cold weather will potentially come with wind speeds of up to 35 miles per hour — as of the last report they’ve received — and will make the temperature feel like it’s in the teens, which is expected to last until Saturday.
“Hopefully by the 25th, Christmas Day evening, it may start getting a little bit better,” Gloria said. “These are the coldest temperatures we’ve experienced in the Valley since 1989.”
View the press conference in Spanish here:
