ANNAVILLE, Texas — Black is everywhere, and the smell of a barbecue gone wrong fills the air hovering over Christina Hinojosa's 1.1-acre plot of land.
It is where her trailer home sat, and in the backyard was her 3-year-old dog, Mona.
Everything is now gone, including Mona and three cars, because of a fire that broke Sunday.
“They told me that the fire started from inside, and that there was no way to tell the cause because it’s so far gone," Hinojosa said about the Annaville firefighters who responded.
Annaville Fire Department Captain Ben Carrizales was there in Robstown as Hinojosa's things went up in flames.
“It started out as a structure fire for us, and with the high winds, it just took off into the brush and grass," he said. "Luckily, we were able to keep it from getting to three other structures."
A passing neighbor called for help because Hinojosa and her 5-year-old son left that morning to church. They came back to smoky ash in the afternoon.
"My son’s little bike burned," she said, while surveying the damage.
As if the situation could not get worse: “Somebody stole from the few things I had left," she said.
Hinojosa discovered on Wednesday morning that two surviving bicycles were stolen from her property. She then set out two wooden boards at the front of her property with a message to the thief.
“It’s just sad that somebody sees when everything's gone and still wants to take.”
Hinojosa finds comfort in knowing her community cares. Of the various relief efforts already organized is an online fundraiser. As of Thursday afternoon, half of the goal amount is raised.
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