GUN BARREL CITY, Texas - Firefighters from multiple Henderson County agencies spent several hours extinguishing a trailer fire involving hay bales Sunday morning after flames broke out on a bridge connecting Gun Barrel City and Seven Points.
The Gun Barrel City Fire Department responded at 10:33 a.m. on Aug. 9 after receiving a mutual aid request from Seven Points Fire Rescue for a trailer carrying multiple hay bales that had caught fire.
The trailer was pulled onto the shoulder of the westbound span of the State Highway 334 bridge, which connects Gun Barrel City and Seven Points.
Firefighters Move Trailer to Protect Bridge
After crews initially knocked down the flames, incident commanders arranged for the trailer to be towed to a dirt lot on the north side of the bridge.
Moving the trailer helped prevent damage to the bridge and allowed firefighters to safely remove the burning hay bales.
According to Gun Barrel City Assistant Fire Chief Jason Raney, the semi-trailer was carrying 13 hay bales.
"In order to fully extinguish the fire, the hay bales had to be separated using heavy equipment and firefighters, and then thoroughly soaked with water," Raney said.
Four-Hour Firefighting Effort
Raney said the operation took approximately four hours to complete and required significant manpower, heavy equipment, and large amounts of water.
Fire departments assisting with the incident included:
- Gun Barrel City Fire Department
- Seven Points Fire Rescue
- Trinidad Fire Rescue
- Tool Volunteer Fire Department
- Payne Springs Fire Rescue
The Henderson County Sheriff's Office assisted with traffic control while the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) responded to provide additional support.
No firefighters or civilians were injured during the incident.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
