Students at Claughton Middle School in Spring Independent School District are likely enjoying an unexpected day off as their parents figure out what to do with them. Their school is closed today due to fire that occurred shortly after midnight last night. Evidently, an electrical fire at a food warming station was the root cause. At that hour of the night, no one was in the school, so no students or school employees were injured. Also, news accounts reported no injuries to fire fighters.
Thus, this event has produced a comparatively small amount of inconvenience and, hopefully, modest financial losses. But, it could have been much worse. Since ancient times, fires have threatened both people and property. Probably the most notorious blaze in antiquity was the so-called Great Fire of Rome. Beginning on about July 19 in 64 a.d., the fire raged for six days. Ten of fourteen districts in the city were damaged, and three were completely destroyed. Though it is unknown precisely how many died, it has been estimated to be in the hundreds, and thousands were rendered homeless.
Today’s fire reminds us that, even though we have far more sophisticated understanding of fire ignition and propagation, as well as modern building materials, fires continue to occur and pose a threat, both to occupants and fire fighters. Houstonians can remember the tragic loss of four fire fighters during the past year while battling a hotel fire.
These events teach us that fire safety must remain a top priority. From improving building codes, to selecting the proper building materials, to fire drills in schools and buildings, our community must maintain vigilance and improve standards. Perhaps someday fires will be a thing of the past. But for now, they pose a real danger to property, and more importantly, people.
If you or someone you know has been injured as a result of a fire caused by negligence, contact the attorneys at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or 713-222-7211.