Neighbors in Flour Bluff say repeated fires at a vacant lot have damaged property and forced one resident to move, as others push for action.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Neighbors are demanding action after a third fire in four months broke out early Sunday morning at a vacant lot near NAS and Scotland Drive, damaging nearby properties and reigniting concerns about safety.
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Residents say the fires have repeatedly started at the same abandoned lot, which neighbors claim is frequently occupied by homeless individuals. The most recent fire sent residents waking up to flames and smoke, with some suffering significant property damage.
Randy Fernandez, who recently moved to the neighborhood seeking a fresh start after the death of his husband, said he had no idea the vacant lot next door would become a recurring hazard.
“My husband recently passed away within the past year, and I couldn’t emotionally stay in my home that I was currently in, that we’ve had for about eight years,” Fernandez said.
Fernandez said the ongoing fire risk has made him feel unsafe and unsupported, ultimately prompting his decision to move out of the neighborhood.
“I ended up picking out this property, and unbeknownst to me, it was just a big hazardous situation right next door,” he said. “I wouldn’t book an Airbnb or a cabin rental next to something like that.”
He said he feels there has been little effective response to prevent the fires from happening again.
“There’s really nothing more I can do other than walk with my tail in between my legs, I guess, and move on,” Fernandez said.
Other residents, including Russell Snead, say leaving is not an option. Snead lost half of his backyard in Sunday’s fire, including a shed his late wife used for sewing. She passed away about six months ago.
“The whole back fence just disintegrated in front of our eyes,” Snead said. “And then the barn, that was where my wife’s she shed. It just hurt because she passed about six months ago. So now every time I see it, you know, just think of her. But it just went so fast.”
Neighbor Sarah Phillips, who works at a local law firm, said she is now considering legal action on Snead’s behalf, citing property damage and rising insurance costs.
“Mr. Snead should not be incurring costs, and then he’s going to have an increased homeowner insurance policy,” Phillips said. “He has destroyed property. These homes are four years old — you don’t build a brand-new home and expect to be dealing with this four years later.”
As residents wait for a long-term solution, many say they are left cleaning up debris and worrying about when — not if — another fire could happen.