A driver from Austin, Texas is being investigated by the City of Early Police Department for several violations following a trailer fire and several grass fires at mid-afternoon Tuesday.
According to the Early Police Department, police dispatch began receiving calls yesterday regarding a trailer on fire and multiple grass fires reaching several miles south of Early on U.S. Highway 183 toward Zephyr.
A pickup pulling a 20-foot box trailer, loaded with household items, approached the intersection of Early Boulevard and Garmon Drive with fire engulfing the back of the trailer and its right side. The right side of the trailer was also dragging due to the tires burning off. They came to a stop near Early City Hall.
Early Police Chief David Mercer said, “They said they changed a hub on the highway about a half hour back, between Zephyr and Mullin probably. It’s a moving trailer, they were coming into town and didn’t know it was on fire. The trailer started breaking up and started dropping furniture, bedding, stuff like that on the highway causing grass fires and catching the highway on fire. All that trail led up to the red light in front of the police department.”
The Early Police and Fire Department along with Brownwood, Zephyr, Blanket, Lake Bridge, Winchell, May and North Lake totaling 18 fire apparatuses responded.
Firemen began fighting the trailer fire as well as 8 grass fires along the highway between Early and Zephyr. Several fires threatened structures but did not damage any.
The Texas Forest Service responded with dozers, fire engines, helicopter and two airplanes to fight the fires on 183 South.
Brown County SO and DPS also responded assisting with traffic control down highway 183.
Highway 183 between River Oaks Drive and the Aldersgate Center was shut down at approximately 3:30 pm due to the fires and the amount of equipment that responded. The highway was reopened at 5:00 pm.
(photo courtesy Derrick Stuckley of cleanup of debris in the City of Early following a trailer fire Tuesday afternoon.)