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The arrival of 2026 has brought a number of fires to Pearsall, one just 15 minutes into the new year.
“The new year started off with a big bang,” Pearsall Volunteer Fire Chief Placido Aguilar said. “Fifteen minutes into the new year and we were dispatched to a grass fire on Pecan Street.”
According to fire officials, the blaze began at 12:15 a.m., but crews arrived within minutes and extinguished the flames.
Aguilar said the Pecan Street blaze was caused by fireworks.
Within the hour, fire crews were assessing a dumpster fire at an apartment complex on the far northwest side of town when a call was received regarding a structure fire on South Puente Street.
Upon arrival, firefighters found the rear bedroom of a single-family home fully engulfed in flames. Crews managed to extinguish the fire after gaining entry into the home through a rear door.
An adjacent home sustained damage to its exterior wall when siding was melted by the heat of the blaze.
A preliminary report indicates the fire appeared to have been started at a space heater that was near the bed.
Aguilar noted the elderly couple narrowly escaped the flames and required medical assistance with non-life-threatening injuries.
Fire crews were then dispatched to a home on South Pecan Street at 1:17 p.m. Monday January 12 after residents reported hearing a loud popping noise before noticing flames emerging from the side of their home.
The couple evacuated the residence immediately and no injuries were reported.
Firefighters arrived to find a bedroom completely engulfed in flames and the fire was spreading quickly towards the front of the house, according to the report.
Preliminary findings suggest the blaze was caused by an electrical malfunction.
Aguilar reminds the public to avoid using fireworks in dry areas; keep space heaters at least three feet away from any combustible material and never leave them unattended; check home electrical systems regularly; and ensure smoke detectors work.
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