Fireworks ignite grass fire on Constitution Drive in Copperas Cove on Saturday night

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press 

An unknown individual likely thought that setting off some fireworks on Saturday night in a vacant, grassy area along Constitution Drive to celebration the 4th of July would be safe, as it was away from apartments across the street and several hundred yards west of the CDL School. 

However, that wasn’t the case. 

Due to the use of those fireworks, a portion of the field caught fire and lit up the sky on Saturday evening. 

The Copperas Cove Fire Department was dispatched to that fire and the main body of the fire was controlled after 27 minutes, the hot spots took another 71 minutes to extinguish, said Deputy Fire Chief Gary Young. 

In all, the department responded to a total of 10 calls regarding fires on Saturday night, with the first call coming in at 6:12 p.m. on Saturday. The department also requested assistance from Kempner Volunteer Fire Department for several of the calls. 

Of those calls, three were deemed false alarm/unfounded, two fires had been put out prior to department arrival, and there were two calls about the fire on Constitution Drive, Young confirmed.

A number of the calls for fires were for outside the city limits, on Pheasant Circle, Bea Powell Road, Sikes Drive, Willow Loop off F.M. 116, Coyote Circle, between Bell Tower Drive and Clear Creek. There was also a fire in the area between Dream Catcher and Cline Drive. There was also a fire near Lutheran Church and Duncan Road, which had been put out upon the department’s arrival. 

The department also received calls about fireworks being set off within the city. 

“There were firework calls all over town, and the only reported fire incidents are listed above,” Young said. “Kempner (VFD) was requested on Pheasant Circle, Bea Powell Road, Sikes Drive, and Coyote Circle. “It is not uncommon for us to request assistance when fire conditions are like they are right now – very dry grass, low humidity, windy. We typically request the help early due to the amount of time that it takes the assisting agency to arrive. If we call late we may have to wait even longer.”  

Deputy Chief Young said that the department also hired an additional crew on overtime to work on July 4. 

“(It was) a huge payoff for us to have done that,” Young said. 

The use of fireworks within the Copperas Cove city limits can carry a $200 fine. 

Lt. Kevin Miller with the Copperas Cove Police Department said that there were 63 calls regarding the use of fireworks on Saturday night and that the department issued five citations.