By Leila Merrill
FireRescue1 Staff
HUGHES SPRINGS, Texas — The Hughes Springs Volunteer Fire Department fire station was destroyed Friday night when a tornado hit the area.
City Hall and a number of homes were also damaged, KLTV reported.
“By the time we got here, there was nothing left. Everyone was scrambling trying to find their gear so we could get out and help, but we couldn’t even get trucks out,” said Justin Riehemann, a Hughes Springs paramedic.
Five fire engines were in the station when the storm hit. Two of the trucks sustained significant damage, as they were located directly below a hole in the ruined roof.
“The fire station I’ve been at for the past 10 years is gone. I mean, it looks like just something out of a movie,” Riehemann said.
Chief Jay Cates told KETK that the station is a total loss.
The chief said that any undamaged equipment would be put into storage units and that other departments would provide mutual aid until the VFD can replace things.
“It was disbelief, I still can’t believe it’s happened, but everyone’s working hard,” Cates said. “Other departments are here today helping out and everything.”
Other departments from as far as 50 miles away have been assisting with calls. They include departments from Daingerfield, Linden, Lone Star, Crossroads and Avinger.
https://www.facebook.com/NBC6News/videos/1170344767217703/
Members of the Hughes Springs Volunteer Fire Department expressed their deep gratitude early Monday on Facebook.
“As you can imagine we are still in shock. We are not used to being victims we the ones that help people. Our community was very blessed that we had no fatalities,” a post from the department reads.