BASTROP, Texas -- It’s an all-too familiar scene in Bastrop - a home destroyed by the Labor Day wildfires.
Volunteers are helping to remove all types of debris from concrete slabs to brick walls to air conditioners, but they need more help. Debris is piling up around the homes destroyed in the wildfires.
Here's the problem: homeowners' insurance won't pay for debris pick-up.
Cody Herring is a project manager with Anderson Restoration in Tomball. He came to Bastrop to help with the clean up and says he has never seen destruction like this before.
"Oh, it's amazing. And it's real funny - you can drive down the street and you'll see a house or two that's still standing that had green grass around it, but then you see these ones that they just caught and when they caught, it was gone," said Herring.
While just about everything at one Bastrop home was destroyed, Herring says volunteers were able to help the homeowner in a small way. They removed her home's metal roof because it still had scrap value.
"[We] put it all on a trailer, took two different loads down to the scrap yard and got her $500 worth of cash money to put back towards her stuff," explained Herring.
Chuck Money works for Google and also came to Bastrop as a volunteer. He said the scene was surreal. "I've never seen destruction like this before. It's disheartening,” said Money. "I walked in here and knew that a month ago people were living here, happy and playing with toys and cooking in the kitchen, and today it's just a pile of rubble."
Money says more volunteers are needed. He feels satisfaction in helping the fire victims. "It's just absolutely awesome having the ability to come out and make a difference."
In the midst of the smoke and the ashes, these volunteers have come forward to help the fire victims begin the process of rebuilding their lives.
A debris cleanup effort will be held Saturday, Oct. 1 in Bastrop. Volunteers are asked to meet at the Chestnut Square Movie Theater at 1600 Chestnut Street by 8:30 a.m. It is recommended to wear long-sleeved shirts, jeans and boots.
For more information, click here.
