Crime Time

Horse in multi-vehicle Burleson wreck, according to early report

A multi-vehicle wreck involving a horse was reported late Monday in Burleson.

Complete details were unavailable at 10:45 p.m.

However, Sally Ellertson, spokeswoman for the city of Burleson, confirmed that the wreck happened on SW Wilshire Boulevard.

"And it involved a horse," she said.

Police were at the scene and other information would not be available until the morning,  Ellertson said.

Check back for details.

— Bill Miller

Irving wreck: Bus driver may have blacked out

The driver of a bus that crashed earlier this month in Irving, killing three people, said he may have blacked out, officials said.

According to a preliminary report, driver Loyd Rieve, 65, said he "looked up and observed the barrels (attenuator)" and said "he possibly could have blacked out."

Meanwhile, a third person who was on the bus died Sunday at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. Alice Stanley, 83, was a longtime resident of North Richland Hills.

Terry Evans has the update; you can read it here.

-- Bill Miller

 

Edgecliff Village firefighters to hold celebration

The Edgecliff Village Fire Department hosts its annual Birthday Celebration 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 23.

The firefighters will prepare barbecue with all the fixings. Costs are $7 for adults and $4 for kids 5-11. Kids 5 and under eat free.

There also will be a raffle for sports, zoo and museum tickets, sports memorabilia, a VIP tour of Cowboys Stadium and more.

The event will be held at 1605 Edgecliff Road in Edgecliff Village.

For information, call 817-293-4317. — Bill Miller

Two motorcycle wrecks, three deaths in Fort Worth, including a firefighter

Three people, including an off-duty Fort Worth firefighter, were killed Monday evening in separate collisions involving motorcycles, police reported.

The firefighter was riding with a female passenger about 6:40 p.m. eastbound in the 300 block of Sycamore School Road near the intersection with Colfax Lane, said officer Sharron Neal, a police spokeswoman.

A westbound sport utility vehicle turned in front of the motorcycle, which hit the back of the SUV, Neal said.

The firefighter was pronounced dead at an area hospital, Neal said. The woman was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The speed of the motorcycle may have contributed to the wreck, Neal said. Both were wearing helmets, she said.

The man’s name was not immediately available, but Engineer Tim Hardeman, a fire department spokesman, confirmed that he was an off-duty firefighter.

"The Fire Department is deeply saddened at the unexpected loss of one of its members," Hardeman said in a news release.

Two people died in the second wreck, reported at 8:07 p.m., on White Settlement Road where it passes over West Loop 820, police said.

A motorcycle, driven by a man believed to be 23, was eastbound on White Settlement when a westbound white Nissan car attempted to turn south onto the Loop’s access road, Neal said.

The motorcycle struck the passenger side of the car.

The motorcycle rider was pronounced dead at the scene. The front-seat passenger, a 24-year-old woman, was taken to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead, Neal said. The motorcycle's speed also was thought to be a factor in the second wreck, Neal said.

The driver of the car, 25, and a 2-year-old child were checked at the scene but were not taken to a hospital, Neal said.

No other information was immediately available late Monday.

 -- Bill Miller

Power outage briefly interrupts police, fire call center in Fort Worth

A power outage early Monday evening caused a nearly hour-long interruption at the Fort Worth Fire and Police call center, said Battalion Chief Richard Harrison, fire department spokesman.

The outage was reported at 6:15 p.m. But during the outage, calls were routed through the Arlington emergency call center, Harrison said.

The police call center was restored by 7 p.m. and the rest of the system came back on about 20 minutes later, Harrison explained.

"The outage caused a delay in the transfer process," Harrison said. "The caused of the transfer delay is under investigation and will be remedied.

"The cause of the power outage is still undetermined and also under investigation."

No other information was available Monday night.

-- Bill Miller

UPDATE: Man found dead beneath car in south Fort Worth identified

Firefighters believe a jack failed on car, crushing the man who was working beneath it, a fire department spokeswoman said.

His name was released Friday by the Tarrant County medical examiner's office. He is Alonso Alvarado, 36, and he lived at the home where he was found Thursday evening in the 5900 block of Rector Avenue.

Alvarado hadn't been heard from in a couple days, so first responders weren't sure when he died.

"We have no idea how long he'd been under there," said Lt. Carol Jones, fire department spokeswoman.

 -- Bill Miller

 

 

Update: Grass fire under control in south Fort Worth

Editor's note: An earlier report incorrectly stated this fire was in north Fort Worth, but the area is actually on the city's south side.

The Update: A large grass fire, accelerated by stiff winds, burned about 100 acres and threatened two neighborhoods Thursday afternoon in far south Fort Worth.

Fourteen units from Fort Worth Fire Department and a brush truck from the Everman Fire Department brought the blaze under control after a nearly two-hour effort.

Flames were reported at 1:49 p.m. in the 1200 block of McPherson Road, according to dispatch records.

Engineer Tim Hardeman, fire department spokesman, reported at 3:42 p.m. that it was under control. Hardeman noted, however, that fire crews were still on scene "mopping up hot spots."

The cause of the fire was still undetermined at 5 p.m., Hardeman said.

The grass fire started in an open field between two neighborhoods in the 1200 block of McPherson Road, Hardeman said. He added that, "15 mph winds with gusts to 25 mph pushed the fire rapidly through the very dry grass, brush and timber."

A gas well site in the field was not threatened by the fire and a company representative "shut off the well compressor as a precaution," Hardeman said.

The National Weather Service had issued a "grass fire danger statement" for Thursday afternoon for much of north-central Texas, including Tarrant County.

Friday’s forecast holds a 20-percent chance for rain during the day and 40-percent chance at night, according to the weather service.

Fire department officials, meanwhile, urged continued caution.

"Under the current environmental conditions — severe to extreme drought conditions, high winds, and low humidity — grass fires can be expected to spread rapidly," Hardeman said.

The department, he added, "urges residents to use caution when cooking outdoors, ensure all outdoor fires are attended at all times, fully extinguished when done, and that all smoking materials are disposed of properly."

-- Bill Miller

Public Safety: Grass fire on McPherson Road, south Fort Worth

Editor's note: An earlier report incorrectly stated this fire was in north Fort Worth, but the area is actually on the city's south side.

Firefighters are battling a large grass fire north of McPherson Road in far south Fort Worth.

The blaze was reported at 1:49 p.m. in the 1200 block of McPherson Road, according to dispatch records. Fifteen units, including brush trucks, have responded, the records show.

"First arriving company reported the fire (in) a large open pasture area," said Engineer Tim Hardeman, fire department spokesman. "No structures in danger, evacuations, or injuries reported at this time."

But, he added, "Citizens are asked to avoid this area and be aware of emergency vehicles operating in the area."

 — Bill Miller