With soot-covered hands, Felix Rangel and his daughter, Ariana, 12, picked through the rubble of their home Sunday evening in hopes of finding a few things to salvage out of the ashes as rain clouds piled up in the east.
On Friday around 9:30 a.m., their doublewide mobile home, located in the 200 block of Caribou Drive in Deer River off FM 306, was gutted by fire in a five-alarm blaze that started in Ariana’s bedroom. The Spring Branch Volunteer Fire Department answered the call and was able to contain the fire to just the structure.

Filled with family members, mother Marliese, daughters Araiana and Annaliese , and Felix Rangel III and two of their neighbor’s children, Sabrina and Michael Frazier, from a sleepover, the Rangels were saved by their son Felix, 10, and Michael, 8. Rangel had already gone to work and their oldest daughter, Lauren Lee, 14, was spending the night at a friend’s.

“We’re the heroes who saved our sisters,” Michael said. “I yelled, ‘There’s a fire, get out.’ I never knew smoke could do that much damage.”

The children had all thought Marliese had gone to work like her husband, but she was asleep in her bedroom.
“I woke up and thought ‘what was that smell?’ and it was so hot,” she said.

Opening her bedroom door, she knew instantly that the house would be a total loss. Escaping with her life, she was relieved to see that all the children were already in the yard, where she ran to safety.

According to neighbor Peggy Decker, who watched the proceedings from her yard and lives a couple of doors down, there was a lot of smoke at the beginning, but it quickly dissipated. Decker has lived in the neighborhood, where the houses are mostly mobile homes, for 11 years and said fire trucks are frequently called to the area.

“They told me the fire was contained, so my place is safe,” Decker said on that day.

She added that she would have gotten out her water hose and started watering down her roof if necessary. Other neighbors were gathered outside in concern for their neighbors to watch the firemen work.

“We responded [with] two engines, one ladder truck, and one tanker, plus mutual aid from Bulverde Fire with an engine, Blanco with a tanker, and Bexar Bulverde with a tanker,” Chief Eran Denzler of the Spring Branch Volunteer Fire Department said. “[We had] 18 people total on the fire, nine from SBVFD, two [from] Bulverde, two [from] Blanco, three [from] Bexar Bulverde, [and] two [from] B/SB EMS.”

“They made a great stop on it,” Denzler said. “Modular homes normally burn to the ground; even the fire marshal said he was surprised.”

On that Sunday evening, only three days out from the fire, Marliese said she is spending each day looking for something to smile about.

“The kids are alive and we’re alive,” Marliese said. “That’s all that matters.”

Thankful that no people were hurt, the Rangels did lose their two dogs in the fire. One of their two cats fled with the family and Lauren Lee later found the other cat, which sought refuge in a dresser drawer, where it waited out the blaze to see another day.

The outpouring of sympathy and help has overwhelmed the family, Marliese said. With the house being a total loss and the fact that they did not have homeowners insurance, she said they are blessed to have clothes and food given to them and promises of furniture to replace their loss.

“We had just purchased a laptop computer,” Marliese said. “As I watched the house burn, I thought, ‘At least the laptop is in my bedroom (which received the least amount of damage).’”

Later, she would find out that the kids had taken it into the living room and that the machine was completely melted.
“If there is anything I want people to learn from this fire, [it] is get homeowners insurance,” Marliese said emphatically.

Sherri Hamilton, the Frazier children’s mother, said she could not believe how quickly people have come to their aid. The Rangels are staying with Hamilton until further arrangements can be made.

“We have four kids to a room in our three-bedroom house,” Hamilton said. “That’s what you do for friends.”

“I’m surprised at the things that did survive,” Marliese said.

She described a hutch that was virtually untouched, pulling from a box her Willow Tree Angel collection that sat on top of it, which a fireman brought out and handed to her after the fire. The collection had only sustained a patina of soot and Marliese said everything in the hutch was undamaged except for a smell of smoke.

Now, as the Rangels try to collect their lives back together, they face the daunting task of removing the old house. With promises from neighbors to help them with demolition, they do not know how they will afford to haul off the rubble. Bringing in a new mobile home will not be the problem, Marliese said, as they own the lot and all the water and electrical lines are already in place. It will be getting rid of the old one. She said they can afford to purchase a new trailer, but there are no extra funds for removal.

“The main thing is that we need help getting this building down,” Marliese said.

One thing is for sure, Marliese is looking ahead. She said she will not have a gas stove, because that caused her greatest anxiety during the fire. If the blaze had ignited the gas line, several neighbors could have lost their homes, she said.

“When we get the new house, we are doing disaster planning,” she said, promising her children that a fire would not catch them off guard again.

Larry Hatfield – President SBVFD Board. Previously served as vice president for two years and a board member for two years prior to serving as vice president.

I am at a loss as to what you are attempting to accomplish. I came before this board last month and requested mutual aid from you and received no response to my request, even though “Status of Mutual Aid/Automatic Aid Agreements” was on your agenda. I don’t feel comfortable that you will respond tonight, but I am here to ask, again, for your mutual aid assistance.

Your Chief has stated publically to the media and I quote: “Canyon Lake Fire Department has ceased to respond to mutual aid calls to Spring Branch, unless there is a major emergency taking place.” This was stated on July 21. On August 5, Chief Wherry was quoted as saying, “That in the event of a major fire incident, his crews would respond.”

I would like to ask this board what you consider as a major emergency or a major fire incident?

I ask this because on July 16 we had a house fire at 307 Caribou, which isn’t very far from one of your stations. When dispatch contacted Canyon Lake to assist the response over the radio to dispatch was “Is Bulverde requesting assistance?” You were informed, “No, Spring Branch was.” Your next response was “Stand by. Will advise.” You never did advise nor did you show up.

There were no injuries in this fire, but the home was a 50 percent loss. I consider a house on fire as a major fire and a major emergency. I am sure the home owner feels the same way. Blanco and Bulverde did respond to assist Spring Branch.

I keep reading where your chief state there are safety issues, but there are not facts. If there are any facts, they certainly haven’t been shared with anyone.

We have not had any employees hurt on any call since Chief Denzler has been our Chief, regardless as to whether he was at the scene or not at the scene.

As I stated to you before, you don’t need a signed agreement for Mutual Aid. The Texas legislation has already adopted state-wide mutual aid for all of us.

We are asking for mutual aid from Canyon Lake. If you decide not to give it, that becomes your problem. Regardless to your decision, Spring Branch will give mutual aid to Canyon Lake every time you request mutual aid unless you tell us or the dispatcher not to come.

You are delaying, hurting and endangering the safety of your tax payers, residents, firefighters and mine when you don’t accept and give mutual aid to SBVFD. This is also against the oath all firefighters take. Yes, some of your own firefighters have stated they have a problem not responding to calls for assistance.

Should your decision be not to give mutual aid to SBVFD, I would request you put that in writing so the dispatcher can call people that are willing to help their neighbors when help is needed.

I leave you with one question. What are you going to tell your neighbor if their home burns down and they ask you, “Did you do everything you could to save my home?”

Thank you for your time.

Mark Twain wrote the play “Is He Dead?” is 1898 but it was not published until 2002 and then it was performed on Broadway in 2007. The comedy is based on the life of real life painter Jean-Francois Millet and is set in mid-19th century Paris.

Since he feels his paintings would be worth more if he were dead, Millet fakes his death and comes back as Widow Tilou. Paschall, in this role wears a long pink dress, a blonde wig, and speaks in a high falsetto through a large part of the farce.

Paschall performed dual roles in plays at two other local theaters. He credits his acting classes at San Antonio College for his skills, especially the vocal characterization course. Paschall has done four previous plays at S.T.A.G.E. and appeared at the Vexler, Boerne Community Theatre, San Pedro Playhouse and Steven Stoli’s.

“I’ve done a few dramas and they’re so serious,” said Paschall. “Comedies are exciting and feed off the energy of the audience.”

Paschall owns and operates a pool cleaning service in the Canyon Lake area. He’s married, is the father of two grown children, and has a grandchild.
“My first play was when I was in sixth grade,” said Paschall. “I was Randy the Seaman in HMS Pinafore.

Paschall also plays guitar and sings professionally. He writes songs that can be heard at myspace.com/madjack777, named after another role he played.

“I’ve had a great cast I’m working with,” said Paschall. The play includes Larry Lapaglia, Frank Williams, and Judy Utley, who have won awards at S.T.A.G.E. in the past, as well as several other seasoned actors.

Director Julia Cammack keeps things moving, conveying a sense of hilarity and exuberance. Award winning Cammack did the costumes for this play and has had considerable involvement in area theatres for many years.

“Is He Dead” will continue at S.T.A.G.E. through August 1st when there will be a matinee performance. Reasonably priced meals are available before the play on evenings only during the summer. For ticket information or reservations, call (830) 438-2339.

Written By Sharon Pinkston

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Coloring pages can be down loaded from the web site (downloads will be available July 11) or picked up at the Bulverde/Spring Branch Library. The contest is for all children living in or visiting Western Comal County.

COLORING CONTEST RULES:
The coloring pages must be turned in by July 25.
Mail entries to: The Hilltop Reporter, 30310 A FM 306, Spring Branch, TX 78070
Include the name of the child, telephone number and age written on the back in PENCIL.
Crayons, markers, map pencils, paints or chalks can be used to color the images.

Winners will receive a ribbon and participation certificate along with a goody bag at the Bulverde/Spring Branch Library on August 3.

Good luck everyone!

Download Coloring Images

4th and 5th grade Boys – click to download

4th and 5th grade Girls – click to download