By Damali Keith
KRIV
WHARTON, Texas — The egg farm fire that killed Wharton fire department captain Thomas Araguz in 2010 accidentally started in a light fixture. A report from the Texas Fire Marshal’s office also reveals it was too risky to send firefighters inside the building when only property and no people were in danger.
The 18 workers who were inside the burning egg processing facility had already made it out safely.
The state investigation into the fire makes seven findings, including that firefighting crews failed to adequately assess the scene before attacking the flames.
The report accuses the incident commander of failing to maintain control and says the firefighters went into the building before a rescue team was on stand-by.
As others battled the fire from outside the building, Captain Thomas Araguz and Captain Juan Cano took a hose inside. The report says they lost contact with the hose, their only lifeline to lead them out of the burning building.
The surviving captain Cano says in high heat and near-zero visibility, he and Araguz searched for the hose.
Captain Cano’s breathing mask finally ran out of air, so he took it off and started banging on a wall.
Fire crews outside cut a hole in that wall, rescued Cano and searched for Araguz.
Almost an hour later, smoke and fire forced rescuers away from the building. Captain Araguz’s body was found the next morning.
The report says Araguz never made any radio contact. Cano says he tried to make several radio calls but now believes his radio was on the wrong channel.
Araguz’s radio was too damaged to determine if it was working, according to the state investigation.
The report urges every firefighter to know his “point of no return,”
the point where a firefighter has to leave the building or run out of air.
Republished with permission from KRIV.