Old H.E.B. warehouse burns in Harlingen

HARLINGEN — City firefighters hosed down lingering hot spots at the former H.E.B. warehouse near North Commerce Street Monday afternoon.

Harlingen Fire Department Capt. John Renneker said at least two dozen Harlingen firefighters responded before midnight Monday to the blaze in the old industrial area along the railroad tracks on the city's north side.

The fire at the warehouse, now owned by Union Pacific Railroad, was under control by Monday morning, Renneker said.

Neighbors have complained to city officials for years that the empty warehouse was used by vagrants.

Dry brush along the railroad tracks caught fire during the blaze, but firefighters managed to keep the fire from spreading to nearby houses.

La Feria firefighters provided backup coverage for the city so an entire shift of 24 firefighters — except for those at the airport — could use all the city's fire equipment to keep the warehouse fire from spreading.

Monday afternoon, firefighters were removing roofing to reach extinguish remaining hot spots on the wooden flooring under the roof.

"We're waiting for the (Union Pacific) railroad people to bring in some heavy equipment so we can move this (roofing) tin," he said. "We're trying to do what we can by hand right now."

To his knowledge the warehouse was empty when the blaze began, Renneker said.

The equipment that railroad employees were bringing would also help remove burned heavy timbers and decking to give firefighters better access to smoldering timbers under the floor, he said.

Renneker, who was not on the scene until Monday morning, said the weakened floor posed a danger for firefighters.

"I personally went through the floor," he said. "It's a three-foot drop."

Another firefighter was treated for a sprained ankle, Renneker said.

The cause of the blaze has not been determined, Renneker said.

"We're not 100 percent sure" about the cause of the fire, Renneker said. Arson investigators were on the scene Monday.

Although rusted sprinkler pipes protruded above the charred ruins of the building, it has not yet been determined if there was a functioning sprinkler system, Renneker said.

James Barnes, spokesman for Union Pacific Railroad, confirmed that the company owned the warehouse, which was vacant and limited to light storage of railroad materials.

"We're also thankful that the fire department was there to contain the fire so that no other structures were damaged," Barnes said.

Resident Jorge Gutierrez lives across the street from the warehouse, and said he was in his house when he first saw the fire.

"I was on the phone with my girlfriend when I saw all the smoke and felt the heat," Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez said he then ran out and tried to douse parts of the fire with his own garden hose.