Fire Chief: Welder Sparked Fire That Threatened Homes Near Inola

NewsOn6.com

INOLA, Oklahoma -- Fire investigators now know what sparked a large grass fire that nearly burned several homes near Inola Saturday.

The Tiawah Fire Chief said it started when a man dropped a welding rod he'd been using. By the time he noticed it had sparked a fire, it was too late.

Tall, dry grass and strong winds gave the fire an advantage.

It took more than a hundred firefighters from 18 different departments to knock back the flames. But, they were determined to keep it away from homes in the area.

"Basically setting a line and saying this is where it's gonna end, you know," said Tiawah Fire Chief John Golbek.

Firefighters stood their ground, and after five hours of grueling work, they managed to contain the fire and save the homes in its path.