A fire broke out yesterday, Monday, October 12, near the intersection of County Roads 2240 and E 1210 in Washita County, destroying a structure. According to Mike Morel, Cordell Firefighter and EMS Director, the department went in service at around 10:00 a.m., arriving on scene within three minutes of notification.
Mutual aid was provided by the Rocky, Cloud Chief, Corn, Clinton, Sentinel, Bessie, and Burns Flat fire departments. Upon arrival, Cordell firefighters initiated a VES (vent, enter, search) procedure to ensure no one was inside the building and completed their search within five minutes. Firefighters then began an interior attack, entering the burning structure with hose lines to suppress the fire at its source. When conditions became unsafe for interior operations, the team shifted to an exterior attack.
The team achieved primary knockdown in just 15 minutes, halting the fire’s forward progress and major heat expansion. By 11:00 a.m., responding departments began returning to service. Morel emphasized the challenges posed by strong winds and credited the Rocky Fire Department with helping prevent a potential grass fire. “The wind was a major factor, and Rocky was instrumental in staving off a potential grass fire,” he said.
Residents are urged to avoid the structure, as it remains unstable and unsafe. The Cordell Fire Department thanks all mutual aid partners for their quick action and cooperation.