Austin house badly damaged in fire

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Firefighters were called to a three-story house fire in Gibbs Hollow Cove, west of Austin, Saturday morning around 6 a.m.

Photos tweeted by Austin Fire Department show large flames and thick black smoke coming from the home.

AFD Battalion Chief Thayer Smith said that crews were able to establish pretty early on that the residents of the house were not at home.

Smith said it was not easy to get crews in like they normally would because the house backs up into a cul-de-sac next to the Greenbelt. It took AFD an hour to get the fire under control.

Smith said it will take several hours before they completely leave the scene because they are working on hot spots. No other houses were affected by the fire.

“This house is fairly isolated,” Smith said. “There was not enough time to put any other structures in danger.”