Gatesville Officials Urge Residents to Stop Calling 911 About Downtown Fire Smoke

The Gatesville Police Department's 911 center was flooded with calls about smoke rising from the courthouse square ruins, eight days after a March 16 fire gutted the Gatesville Messenger, Freedom Bail Bonds, Davidson Chiropractic, and Leaird's Furniture on the west side of the square. On March 24, the Gatesville Fire Department publicly asked residents to stop.

"We understand everyone is concerned when they see smoke and/or flames in the rubble of the buildings," the department wrote on Facebook. "While we understand your concern, GFD can assure you that there is no cause for alarm. We are asking folks to stop calling 9-1-1 or the non-emergency number to report seeing smoke from the burned buildings."

The reason for the continuing smoke is structural. Deep-rooted pockets beneath the rubble will keep smoldering until insurance companies bring in heavy equipment to clear the site. City Manager Brad Hunt had warned days earlier that smoldering was expected to persist well beyond initial containment. The four affected buildings are believed to date to around 1900.

The fire originated in the Gatesville Messenger building, according to the Texas Department of Insurance State Fire Marshal's Office, despite early reports pointing to A Freedom Bail Bonds on the southwest corner of the square. Dozens of fire crews responded on March 16, and three firefighters suffered minor smoke inhalation injuries. Investigators have ruled out arson; the exact cause remains under investigation.

Repeated calls about non-threatening smoke tie up the same dispatch lines needed for medical crises and active crimes. The GFD drew a clear line: call 911 for new active flames, visible structural collapse, or breathing emergencies caused by heavy smoke. For lingering smoke already being monitored by on-scene crews, use the Gatesville Police Department non-emergency line at 254-865-2226, Gatesville City Hall at 254-865-8951, or the city's official social media pages for ongoing updates.

The City of Gatesville erected a perimeter fence around the west block of the square, and Coryell County issued a court order extending the local disaster declaration. A separate county resolution was passed to protect the historic Coryell County Courthouse, which stands directly adjacent to the destroyed buildings. A community fundraiser is planned for April to support employees of the businesses lost in the fire.