Mysterious Blaze
The million gallon fire: Woodlands castle mansion goes up in flames, requiringmassive water output
It's not often that it takes three hours and more than one million gallons of water to put out a house fire. That's equivalent to "8,000 gallons a minute with a 35-man crew that consisted of two fire departments," Woodlands Fire Department chief Robert Moore told a Montgomery County reporter on the scene of just such a blaze.
Late Monday night, a 12,000 square-foot castle-style mansion on South Lamerie Way in the Carlton Woods subdivision went up in flames, catching the attention of neighbors. A blazing rooftop sparked a call to the Woodlands Fire Department around 11 p.m.
With the fire engulfing the entire massive home, the Magnolia Fire Department was also dispatched to help assist. Deputy chief Wayne Walker tells CultureMap that when he arrived, "The other department was already heavily involved because half of the property was on fire and luckily there were no belongings on-site and no life threats."
No one knows what or who caused the new home to go up in flames. The mansion had been in its final stages of construction and was vacant with no electricity.
The fire was finally controlled three hours later after cautious steps were taken to avoid any injuries. Sections of the mansion roof — made up of concrete, clay tiles — collapsed, preventing any fire fighters from entering the house.
In order to avoid the five-pound tiles, the crew had to remain outside releasing water from three sides of the exterior. The immense water flow directed at the fire actually had to be cut back in order for the water system to catch up.
No one knows what or who caused the new home to go up in flames. The mansion had been in its final stages of construction and was vacant with no electricity. The Montgomery County Fire Marshall is investigating the cause.
