SAN ANTONIO — For many longtime neighbors on Bald Mountain Drive, what happened Thursday evening was like a recurring bad dream.
The first emergency tone warning of danger sounded at 6:13 p.m. in west Bexar County, off Marbach Road, as many parents were leaving an event at Big Country Elementary.
Just six minutes later, firefighters responding to a call for a structure fire that had been radioed in, reporting they could already see smoke as they raced toward the scene.
Rosie, who shot video of the early moments of the fire, said she was concerned when firefighters had trouble reaching the home in the 14700 block.
"There was a lot of traffic! There was a function at the school and it was 6:00 and people were just getting home," she said. "You could hear the sirens of the fire department, but there was too much traffic for them to get in here."
Pete, who has lived on the typically quiet street for years, said he saw a little smoke as he was driving home. But it was when he rounded the final turn that he knew his neighbor's home was in serious trouble.
"It was in flames, it was engulfed already!" Pete said. "I have never seen anything like this in my life. It was so close to home!"
Pete says as he watched two adjacent houses also catch on fire, he wondered if there would be an effort to evacuate the block.
"They closed the whole street down and some of the people had already moved their trucks out because they were in danger," he said.
For many neighbors, the large emergency response brought back memories of another critical incident in which two of the same houses were involved in a deadly incident.
A drive-by shooting in October 2022 left one innocent homeowner dead and another woman in the house with a gunshot wound.
At the time, detectives with the sheriff's office said two teens targeted the wrong house, firing around 100 rounds before racing away in a stolen car.
Initially, investigators said three people inside one of the homes fired back. Two juveniles and an adult were initially charged with spraying the neighborhood with random shots, but when it came time to prosecute the case, the charge against the adult was dismissed. Online court records indicate the case was closed for a lack of evidence, even though the original affidavit for arrest claimed all three people who had been in the house were caught on surveillance video returning fire on the fleeing vehicle.
The two teens charged in the attack were both given probated sentences of 18 months on charges of unlawfully carrying a weapon and illegal discharge of a weapon. Meanwhile, the two teen assailants accused of firing on the home have both received prison sentences connected to the attack.
Isaac Gonzales entered a guilty plea and was handed a 40-year sentence for murder and a 20-year term for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Rene Gonzales, who is not related, was just 14 years old at the time. He also was certified to stand trial as an adult. Online court records indicate Rene is due back in court for a status conference on a murder charge on Oct. 16.
With regard to the current fire damage, it's unclear what will happen to the home where the fire originated. The home is gutted and is little more than unsupported brick walls with a completely charred interior.
The Bexar County Fire Marshal's Office provided a statement explaining they do not have the authority to condemn burned out properties or order the demolition of such structures.
Their statement reads: "In unincorporated Bexar County, most property owners will work directly with their insurance company to determine next steps. Should no action be taken in a reasonable amount of time and the structure poses an immediate threat to the health and safety of the community, the County may take appropriate legal action to determine next steps. This is handled on a case-by-case basis and is unique to each situation."
Meanwhile, the investigation into the cause of the fire remains ongoing.
Neighbors report several people were inside the house of origin at the time of the fire, but they were able to escape when neighbors pounded on their door and warned them of the danger.
The woman who bought the home where the murder took place declined to talk about the current loss, but said she was aware of the history of the house and hopes to work with her insurance company to repair the damage. She said the deductible on her policy will result in a significant expense.
With regard to the burned out hulk, neighbor Pete said: "It's a total loss. There's nothing they can do but tear it down. I have no idea what they will do," adding hat everyone hopes they see action soon.
"They need to get on it! It is dangerous for kids," Pete added, since the elementary school shares a back fence with the property.
Pete said kids are curious, adding that "yellow tape is not enough to keep kids out. I don't think that's going to work."