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Grass fire at encampment forces home evacuations off of South Congress

Several propane tanks at the encampment were ignited by the fire, firefighters said.

AUSTIN, Texas — A grass fire at an encampment off of South Congress Avenue forced some home evacuations on Monday evening.

The Austin Fire Department first reported the incident around 7:43 p.m. south of Lareina Drive and West of South Congress. At that time, the AFD said forward progression had been slowed.

Before 8 p.m., officials said the fire was knocked down but fire crews remained on scene to mop up. Officials said several homes were threatened by the fire, noting that several small propane tanks at the encampment exploded.

"Quick deployment of wildland hose allowed crews to successfully protect the homes as residents were evacuating," the department said.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known. No further information was immediately available.

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