The Dallas Morning News
MCKINNEY, Texas — Firefighter Greg Fenn has forgotten about more house fires than most people have witnessed, but he won’t soon forget Saturday, when his McKinney home was destroyed by flames.
“It’s very humbling being on this side,” said Fenn, a firefighter since 1997 who works for the Allen Fire Department. “We’re used to going out and helping people, but it’s over for us when we roll up the hose.”
Fenn and his wife and two children lost almost everything in the fire and now must live elsewhere for months while their home is rebuilt. But the community and his fellow firefighters are pitching in to make their lives easier.
“I don’t think I’d be able to do it without their help,” Fenn said.
The family was asleep around 3 a.m. when Fenn awoke to a loud noise coming from the back of the house in the 4200 block of Talbot Lane. Believing it was an intruder, he grabbed his firearm and went to take a look.
He didn’t know there was a fire in the garage until he opened the laundry room door and let in a cloud of smoke that triggered the smoke alarms.
Fenn escaped unharmed with his family.
“You don’t expect it to happen to you"- Allen firefighter after his house caught fire. Says support is overwhelming. pic.twitter.com/S3MKuQAadn
— Meredith Yeomans (@Meredithontv) July 21, 2015
Smoke billowed from the home as more than 35 McKinney firefighters responded to the fire. The fire spread to a neighbor’s fence but crews prevented it from reaching the house. Several nearby homes were evacuated.
Three firefighters were injured when a fire hose came into contact with electricity in the garage. All three were taken to Medical Center of McKinney and were released later that day.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, but Fenn said officials suspect its origin was his wife’s vehicle, which was parked in the driveway.
Fenn said the fire destroyed the garage and an adjacent bedroom and damaged the attic.
“We pretty much lost everything inside,” he said.
Fenn said the house will have to be torn down and rebuilt and the family will be displaced for six to eight months.
Last week, the Allen Professional Firefighters Association held a clothing and toy drive for the family. The Fenns have asked those still wishing to help to donate nonperishable food items to the Allen Community Outreach near Main Street and Fountain Park Drive.
A woman from the homeowners’ association also set up a GoFundMe.com account that has raised more than $10,000 in four days.
Fenn said he’s overwhelmed with the amount of support he’s received from not only the firefighter and police community but also from his neighbors and the people of Allen.
“I’m not a very emotional person but this has been very overwhelming,” he said. “It’s so touching.”
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