Houses, Cars Destroyed in Fire

TYLER — Tyler Firefighters report a blaze has destroyed two vacant homes. The fire began Friday afternoon at a house in the 3100 block of Puckett Drive off Morningside Drive near East Loop 323. After consuming two houses, the blaze rapidly spread to a pasture, where it threatened more houses.

Smith County Fire Marshal Jim Seaton said a truck from nearly every department in the county was on scene with the Texas Forest Service and a chopper assisting with the fire. A couple of cars and a barn were also destroyed. Seaton said a family was in the process of moving into the house where the fire began and a relative was planning to move into the second house that burned. The family had reportedly gone to buy an air-conditioning window unit, and when they returned, the house was on fire. No injuries were reported.