July 6, 2009

Families grabbed what they could and then ran from their homes Sunday afternoon in Rockport. A fast moving grassfire was approaching and emergency crews weren't sure if they could stop it in time.

Firefighters from around the Rockport area were armed with lots of water to try and keep a brush fire from burning nearby homes here along Corpus Christi Street. But, high winds caused the fire to travel across the roadway and torch the side of one home.

Many of the residents had to grab whatever they could and run for their lives as the fast moving fire approached their homes.

Resident Nancy Perez says, "I grabbed the kids told them to grab whatever they can and just got in the truck and took off down the road."

Others left and then came back because in the rush to get out, some were left behind.

Resident John Hernandez says, "Me and my brother went back in and we found my niece and somebody else, other than that I'm just tired ready to go home it ends up as a good Sunday afternoon. I'm glad nobody got hurt."

Eventually everyone was allowed to come back home. Firefighters put down the flames and saved the day.

Resident John Garcia says, "I'll tell you what I can say god bless these guys that were out here and able to save my house. Save all the people around here to help them i mean they did a real good job they did good, because if it wasn't for these guys a lot of us would have lost everything we had."

Investigators aren't sure what sparked the fire but what they do know is that this was the 18th fire most of these crews had worked since Friday. Most due to fireworks.