Grass Fire Chars Parts Near Fort Phantom, Residents React

Fireworks to blame for at least one fire near Abilene so far and possibly what caused another to come awfully close to some homes.

The fire at Lake Fort Phantom Hill overnight charred about 20 acres of land

This was the frightening scene of the grass fire out at Lake Fort Phantom late last night.

"It kept getting closer and I was like 'Oh man'", says George Spivey, who watched the flames inch closer to his home.

Spivey was relaxing with his family in his pool.

"We got out of the pool, we came over and it just started climbing," says Spivey adding, "The wind picked up so fast."

Cole Mashburn lives on the other side of the street.

Mashburn says, "I ran outside and I saw a bunch of flames back in the back. I went and sprayed the fences down and the fence lines down with water."

Firefighters initially had trouble locating the fire because of the harsh terrain and remote location. However, once they found it, the flames were contained in less than an hour.

"You can see the line, it goes straight through like 8 feet from my house. They saved my house so that was cool," says Spivey.

Fortunately, no one was injured and firefighters stopped the fire before any assets were destroyed. However, just before the fire started, residents do remember hearing something.

Mashburn adds, "We had heard somebody popping fireworks, but we didn't think anything of it."

"My wife and my daughter in law thought they heard some fireworks and I think it started over there on that old house that used to be there. Somebody must have been doing fireworks."

Now the official cause of this fire has yet to be determined. But officials are urging all residents to reconsider the use of fireworks especially in these dry and very dangerous conditions.