INGLESIDE, Texas — March 4th is a day many will never forget in San Patricio County.
"It was hard to believe was how quickly the fire was moving and how it was consuming everything in its path," Ingleside Fire Chief, Tom Miller said.
The Sinton Welder Complex Fire destroyed homes and left families with nothing. Now, for the first time, KRIS 6 News is hearing from those who were on the front lines.
"I think the initial dispatches were about 3:30 or so in the afternoon and we didn't get released until after 1 o'clock in the morning," Miller said.
San Patricio County Judge David Krebs was also there to help.
"I've never seen a fire like that. Normally a fire will take hold and just go. This one didn't. It seemed like it had its own mind as to what it wanted, where to go and what it wanted to do," Krebs said.
He quickly realized they needed reinforcements to battle the rapidly spreading blaze.
"By the time we started calling help for this fire but it was a good time before we could even get the units there. As soon as we got there, the fire marshal and myself, we started calling in outside fire departments," Krebs said.
That extra help included volunteer fire departments from Refugio, Aransas Pass, Rockport, Annaville and Ingleside.
"We utilize some of the stuff that got damaged while we were there like fire hose that we can replace," Miller said.
Now, first responders like Ingleside VFD are getting reimbursed for damaged equipment and the long hours they put in to help through the Welder Fire Reimbursement Process, which was approved by San Patricio County Commissioners on Monday. The total reimbursement request amounts to over $104,000.
The county will receive the money from the state before distributing it to the volunteer fire departments.
