KHOU
HOUSTON — Nearly a year after flames tore through the Southwest Inn, the family of a severely-injured firefighter has filed a lawsuit against the motel’s owner and the operator of a restaurant that burned at the site.
It’s part of a search for answers into what happened at the fire that killed four Houston firefighters and nearly killed another on May 31, 2013. “I knew when I got the call,” remembered Jacki Dowling. “I even answered and said, ‘tell me if he’s alive.” Captain Bill Dowling, a Houston firefighter was alive, but barely.
He was rushed to the hospital after being trapped when the roof of the burning motel collapsed. “He was in that fire for 45 minutes,” said Dowling. “Trapped. And I don’t know why (or) what went wrong.” Nearly a year after her husband was critically injured, she’s still waiting for answers about what happened, what started the fire, and what went wrong that day.
Full story: Firefighter’s family wants answers 1 year after Houston’s deadliest fire