January 12, 2015 - U.S. 96 South was the scene of a passenger van fire on Sunday, January 11, 2015. Emergency crews responded immediately to the scene after receiving a 9-1-1 call.
The Center Fire Department was dispatched to the scene of the fire at 3:35pm and when they arrived the van was engulfed in flames. The firemen put water to the fire and were able to extinguish the flames. As the firemen worked to quench the flames, traffic on the northbound and southbound sides of the highway were blocked by emergency personnel.
According to the Center Fire Department, the vehicle was a maroon 2003 Ford van belonging to the House of Refuge Apostolic Ministry in Center.
Texas Department of Public Safety State Troopers Jade Lavergne and Keith Jones, Center Police Department Sgt. Scott Burkhalter and Shelby County Sheriff's Department Deputies Kurtes Lawrence and Bradley Horton assisted the Center Fire Department at the scene.
The cause of the fire was undetermined at the time personnel cleared the scene. The scene was cleared at 4:05pm.
