The Cedar Park Fire Department was called to a large structure fire one block east of the U.S. Highway 183 and New Hope Road intersection, near the Block House Creek subdivision at approximately 2:55 p.m.

Cedar Park Fire Chief Chris Connealy said the the call came in as an explosion and “we arrived to heavy fire.”

All four Cedar Park units and backup help from Leander, Jollyville and Sam Bass departments were able to get contain the fire in the west side of the building. “We were going to make an internal attack, but there was too much of a fire hazard,” said Connealy.

Connealy sent crews into the east side of the building to put out any hot spots, but the “west side was declared defensive,” meaning the area was too unsafe to allow crews in the building.

The fire was extinguished in about 25 minutes and the fire departments were “trying to get to all the hot spots,” said Connealy.

The west side of the building was taped off because the outer wall had shifted and Connealy said there was “a concern that the wall might collapse.”

Connealy said the east side of the building, where Guaranteed Screenprinting & More is located, only suffered smoke damage, but there is “significant fire damage on the west.”

The building’s owner, Joe Zsebenyi, said the building is leased to Oscar Renda Contracting, who is doing the construction on New Hope Road.

Jimmy Wood, foreman for Oscar Renda, said the space was being used as a storage facility and a field office. The fire is believed to have started in the storage facility where pipes, tools and other equipment are stored.

The Oscar Renda crews were working near Bagdad Road at the time of the fire and no one was in the building, said Wood.

Ryan Hitchcock, general manager at Lawton Commercial Services, which is located two doors down from the facility, said he heard a loud noise, like a “board falling off a shelf,” but didn’t think much about it. About 45 minutes later he heard a louder sound like an explosion. That’s when Hitchcock went out of his office and saw smoke coming from the building.

The cause of the fire has not been determined, but the fire will be investigated.

Read Friday’s Weekender edition of the Hill Country News for more details and photos from this fire.

E-mail: jennifer@hillcountrynews.com

Auto aid companies from Cedar Park, Sam Bass, and Austin all assisted at the scene. The fire was brought under control in approximately 25 minutes.

On the last B shift, last Saturday, morning boot camp was forgone because of live fire training. Although there was no boot camp, we did spend several hours each standing inside the burn building helping with the Williamson County Fire Chief’s Association Burn Day. Boot camp returned this morning with 4 sets of pure joy and cardiovascular suffering followed up with the Lunge with bundle, sit up, push up routine known as ‘Hell’.

More to come next week !

Along with some good natured ribbing (and mild nausea) the challenge began this morning with what Lt. Vacek (the leader of the program) has dubbed ‘Bootcamp’. Although no where near as intense as that test completed by our armed services, it is a fitting name as the firefighters are all very ‘kicked’ by the end of it. The first day included a weigh-in, body fat percentage checks (which were embarrassing) and many different heart rate checks at different times during the work out.

Firefighting is an extremely strenuous line of work, and our fitness is the foundation of credibility we build from to prove that we are dedicated to protecting our citizens to the best of our ability. We hope you will enjoy watching the B shift get into better shape (round is not an acceptable shape), and beg you to bring the cakes and cookies to either A or C shift !

Smoke Alarms are your first defense against fire. A working smoke alarm can detect a small fire and provide crucial minutes necessary to prevent a tragedy from occurring in your home. Over 94% of all homes in the U.S. have at least one smoke alarm. However, surveys show that 1/3 - 1/2 or them do not work because the battery is either dead or missing.

• Every 2 hours someone dies in a fire.
• Smoke, not heat, is the leading cause of death in home fires.
• Children and the elderly are at twice the risk of dying or being injured in a home fire.
• Most home fires occur during sleeping hours - between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Early Detection

Smoldering fires are discovered quickly by smoke alarms because fires generate smoke before flames are visible and before heat raises room temperature high enough to make residents feel uncomfortable.

The warning given off by the smoke alarm gives occupants time to escape before being overcome by toxic fumes.

Studies have shown that from the time a fire breaks out, a person has less than 10 minutes to escape the disabling effects of smoke and poisonous gases.

First due Engine 37 requested assistance from Chief Quinlan, Lt. Johnson, who were at Station 1, and Chief Herrin of the Williamson County HMRT. After discussion, it was decided to call for a few extra techs from Cedar Park.

Units from Williamson County EMS responded to assess 5 occupants who were complaining of minor symptoms. Ultimately, none of them requested transport to a hospital. Williamson County Sheriff’s Deputy’s as well as representatives from Williamson County Communications also responded to assist.

See Photos of the incident here

After approximately 4 hours of testing and containment, the building was turned back over to the occupants and units were returned to service.

Some spaces in our homes or businesses seem to be overlooked at times, and that is when many of us depend on electric space heaters. While they are perfect for warming those odd areas, they come with their own safety concerns and must be treated with hefty respect.

Even though electric space heaters don’t have an open flame, the heating elements of some types of electric heaters are hot enough to ignite nearby combustibles like draperies, paper, clothing, furniture, and flammable liquids. It is, therefore, important to check surrounding objects periodically to see if they feel hot. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions to see how far the heater should be placed from combustible materials, and for how far the heater should be placed from the floor so that carpeting or flooring materials don’t ignite.

Additionally, to prevent electrocutions, always keep portable electric heaters away from water, never use them in a bathroom or near a sink. (If you must use an appliance near water, always use a ground fault circuit interrupter).

For more safety information, check the Association of Home Appliance Manufactures space heater safety website.

Although there was significant damage to the structure, crews were able to save some family pictures and other sentimental items for the family.

An engine from Austin was special called to the scene, and Round Rock Engine 5 protected the Sam Bass district while crews were on scene.

The last website served well, and was ready for a rest. With so many changes in store for the department and the area possible in 2008, a new look to the site was in order. All of the information from the last site is still contained in the new one, plus much more. Newer links to sites with great information for you and your family are now available. New updates from members of the JVFD as well as other automatic safety tip updates will be easier than ever to find.

We hope you will enjoy the new site, and have a safe and happy new year !

The cost is only $35 for Basic CPR and First aid and $50 for healthcare provider. Classes are held twice a month at 6:30pm in the training room at the Station 2 at 12507 Mellow Meadow Dr. Austin Tx 78750.

If intrested contact Ryan Vacek or Mitch Thomas or call (512) 635-6169. Please include your name, phone number, and the type of certifacation you need. There is a minimum of 5 and maxumium 18 students per class.

Upcomming class dates:

• Tuesday, January 8th
• Thursday, January 24th
• Thursday, February 7th
• Wednesday, February 20th
• Wednesday, March 5th
• Tuesday, March 18th

We are committed to providing quality training to everyone from new parents who want to learn Infant CPR to healthcare providers who need to renew their certifications.