At around 9:06pm on Saturday, July 22, the Blanco Police Department received a call for a structure fire in the 1500 block of Hackberry Street, said Police Chief Milton Willmann. The emergency responders were at the scene of a roll-over accident on Kendalia Road at the time.

When the officer arrived, the house at that location was fully engulfed in flame. The fire department responded to the blaze but were unable to save the structure or its contents.

“I want to thank the Red Cross and the fire department,” said owner Crystal Weber. “They did their best to save my house... It’s just demolished; it’s gone. ... Literally everything is gone.” Weber was grateful that her girls weren’t there at the time.

Now that the family of three is working to rebuild their lives, Peggy’s Playhouse, at 820 4th St., is accepting donations. They’re in need of clothing (size 7/8 girls and size 8 womens), household items, and hygiene products.

Chief Willmann reported that there had been a domestic disturbance at the residence earlier and one of the parties to the disturbance was located a short distance away and arrested for public intoxication.

The fire is under investigation, Willmann added.

“We determined it to be a suspicious origin fire since the house was lived in,” said Willmann. The Blanco P.D. summoned the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office, which sent out two Deputy Fire Marshals on Monday morning to investigate what remains of the structure.

The marshals searched the scene with a dog that detects accelerants, Willmann continued, and they are now awaiting lab results. Locally, officers are continuing the investigation.

“Based on the domestic disturbance a few minutes earlier,” Willmann concluded, “we wanted to make sure we followed through with everything.”