3 Point Blank homes destroyed in fire, explosion

Photo courtesy KHOU 11 News
A fire in the Palmetto Pointe Subdivision destroyed three homes and
several outbuilding at about 4:45 a.m. Wednesday. No injuries have been reported.

POINT BLANK — At about 4:45 a.m. Glenn Dickson said he was awoken by the sound of what he thought was a jet plane crashing. The noise was from several independent propane tanks exploding during a house fire in the Palmetto Pointe Subdivision near Point Blank in San Jacinto County. 

Dickson told reporters with KHOU 11 that he didn't believe anyone was injured or killed in the fire that destroyed three homes. 

Onalaska Fire Chief Jay Stutts said his department was called to assist Point Blank at 5:09 a.m. Onalaska Volunteer Fire Department dispatched an engine, two tankers and eight firefighters to supplement San Jacinto County crews already at the scene. 

OVFD was just returning to their station at 8:30 a.m. 

"Three structures were already on the ground when we got there," Stutts said. We were just trying to keep it from going further."

One homeowner woke up with his house on fire, but he got out fine," Stutts said. 

Other outbuildings burned in addition to the independent propane tanks were ignited from the actual structure fire.

Most of the homes affected were weekend residences, officials said.