A Friendswood mansion was consumed in a fiery blaze during torrential rains that hit the Greater Houston area Thursday night.
Officials with the Friendswood Fire Marshall’s Office were unsure how the fire started or whether it was weather related
Heavy smoke was first reported in the home at 1700 West Parkwood around 10:30 p.m. Thursday. The $2.6 million home, once known as the White House Ranch, was a former event center for the city, according to media reports and a Yelp listing.
“The guys made an aggressive attack, but they could not get ahead of fire. They went defensive and pulled out. It’s such a tough fire because we could not put our ladder trucks up because of the lightning,” Battalion Chief Mark Faber told ABC 13.
Residents evacuated from the home and no injuries were reported, officials said. An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.