Smoke filled downtown Alpine on Sunday as a large fire engulfed five businesses along West Holland Avenue, a historic stretch of the city’s downtown. As the fire began to spread, people braved the heat, rushing to save what they could from store fronts — pulling out furniture, artwork, clothing and anything else they could grab — before the buildings were consumed.
“Downtown is getting leveled,” said Jana Harbour as she watched firefighters try to extinguish the flames. “This is horrific. Eva’s Salon is owned by one of my friend’s. Judy’s Bread & Breakfast, I’ve been coming here for years, it’s awful to watch.”
According to Alpine’s Fire Chief Andrew Pierce, the Alpine Fire Department was first called out around 3:45 p.m. to respond to a fire at the Gallery on the Square. Currently, he said, he could not comment on where the fire first began and that “the cause of the fire is under investigation.”
In a post on Facebook, Alpine Mayor Catherine Eaves confirmed the gallery, along with Judy’s Bread & Breakfast, Eva’s Salon, La Azteca and Vintage Antique & Snazzy Things were all lost in the blaze.
The surrounding area was successfully evacuated and aside from firefighters being treated for smoke inhalation and minor injuries, no one was hurt.
Emergency personnel from communities across the Big Bend region helped battle the blaze, including firefighters from Marfa, Fort Davis, Marathon, Terlingua as well as dozens of Texas A&M Forest Service firefighters.
The effort to extinguish the fire extended through Sunday night and, according to Chief Pierce, the fire was officially contained Monday around 6:00 a.m. While the wreckage was left smoldering with some flames flaring up, the site was actively being monitored.
Pierce said this was one of the largest fires Alpine has experienced in the last five years and “if we hadn't had the resources [we had] this would have been a mess.”
He explained, “It is a significant loss not only to the business owners, as well as the property owner, but also the city of Alpine and all the residents.”
When Pierce saw the extent of the damage, he said, “There was just a feeling of a deep pit in me and it hurts. So, it's very painful to see such a beautiful part of Alpine get destroyed.”
Despite the destruction, Pierce pointed out that firefighters were able to save the surrounding buildings on this part of West Holland Avenue, including the office for the Big Bend Regional Hospital District.
In the coming days, a fire marshal will investigate the fire to determine what started it, then the burned buildings will be demolished.
“We’re hoping that we can come together and we can get these businesses taken care of and hopefully get them back into businesses sometime soon,” said Pierce.
