GREGORY, Texas \u2014 Thick smoke and the smell of ash still hang over Gregory after a fast-moving wildfire tore through cotton fields and homes Wednesday afternoon.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was bad \u2014 we couldn\u2019t breathe. You couldn\u2019t see. Your eyes burned, and your lungs were burning,\u201d said resident and volunteer Kevin Hendricks, who helped fight the flames.<\/p>\n
Hendricks drove Kris 6 to the field behind the Gregory Cotton Gin, where he says the fire began. What started as a small spark erupted into a firestorm, consuming acres of cotton and nearby houses.<\/p>\n
Wildfire destroys homes, chokes Gregory in smoke and ash<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s it like to see this devastation? It\u2019s sad. It\u2019s heartbreaking,\u201d Hendricks said. \u201cPeople work hard for what they have \u2014 and even if they barely have anything \u2014 just to see it destroyed… it\u2019s horrible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crews are still assessing the damage, but at least two homes were reduced to ashes. From above, planes dropped pink fire retardant across the fields \u2014 a final barrier that prevented the flames from spreading farther.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow we\u2019ll probably have to wash everything inside the house,\u201d said one homeowner who declined to give his name. \u201cIt stinks. It\u2019s not livable. I\u2019d consider it condemned until a contractor can clean it up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fire crews remain on scene to monitor for flare-ups while the State Fire Marshal\u2019s Office investigates the cause. Residents are being asked to stay away for safety reasons.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause there are still a lot of fire and electrical personnel, residents are encouraged to stay out \u2014 especially if they have breathing problems,\u201d said Abbie Tijerina with the Texas A&M Forest Service.<\/p>\n
The community shelter will remain open through Sunday. Power is expected to be restored Thursday afternoon, though several streets remain closed, including West 4th through 8th Streets, and Avenues A and B.<\/p>\n
For the latest local news updates, click here<\/a>, or download the KRIS 6 News App.<\/a><\/p>\n