19/09/05 Pallet company catches fire

An estimated 2,000 pallets were destroyed when a trash fire got away from personnel at J & O Pallet Company Thursday evening.

"We were burning trash and the wind picked up and it just got away from us," said company co-owner Omar Gonzales.

"Fortunately it didn't get anything else. Pallets can be replaced pretty easy. Houses and people can't."

The call came in about 5 p.m. and fire fighters got the blaze under control in about 30 minutes.

No structures were damaged and the fire was contained to the company's yard, located on CR 3301.

Gonzales said he was unaware Cherokee County was under a burn ban put into effect on Monday. No citations had been issued as of press time Friday.

"People need to be very careful," said Jacksonville Fire Department Lt. Tim Buckley, "and especially make sure there's not an ordinance or burn ban in effect."

The ban is only in effect for seven days.

"We are extra dry," county fire marshal Jack White told Cherokee County commissioners on Monday. "We've been monitoring the activities of the local fire departments and how often they're requesting the assistance of the Texas Forestry Service with their fire plow. Most of the fire departments in the county have really been carrying a burden the last week to 10 days."

The pallet company recycles old pallets and reconstructs new ones.