BOLING, Texas--The Wharton Volunteer Fire Department is mourning the loss of their captainafter he and two other firefighters were trapped in a four-alarm blaze at an egg farm Saturday night.
The Wharton Police Department received a 911 call from the Maxim Egg Farm located in the 3300 block of FM 442 about an ongoing fire. They thendispatched the call to the local firedepartment.
Wharton Volunteer Fire Department and the Boling Volunteer Fire Department responded tothe scene around 9:50 p.m. to find heavy smoke and flames shooting from the 30,000 square-foot facility. They quickly went on the defensive to try and get the fire under control.
During the battle, three firefighters became trapped. Two were able to get out safely, but 30-year-old Captain Thomas Araguz III could not make it out. Firefighters from31 additional departments rushed to the scene to help with the blaze and search for the missing captain.
Fire officials said they had a tough time battling the blaze because there was no fire hydrant, so they resorted to constantly filling up a portable reservoir they transported to the scene.
The two that escaped the fire were taken to the hospital to receive treatment for burns and smoke inhalation.
Captain Araguz's body was recovered Sunday around 7:20 a.m.
Araguz was an 11-year veteran of the Wharton Volunteer Fire Department. He leaves behind a wife andtwo small children.
