Johnny's True Value cause of fire still under investigation

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The investigation to determine the cause of the fire, which deemed Johnny's True Value a total loss, is still under investigation, the Fire Marshall told ValleyCentral.

In the early morning hours of Tuesday, the Harlingen Fire Department responded to a structure fire at Johnny’s True Value on 914 West Tyler Ave.

According to a previous ValleyCentral report, Harlingen Fire Chief Rafael Balderas stated that at 5:11 a.m., the department received a call reporting smoke coming from the building.

Departments from across the Rio Grande Valley, such as the County Fire Marshal, Harlingen PD, and Brownsville FD, assisted in mutual aid.

The store offered a wide selection of ammunition, particularly suited for hunters. Eyewitnesses say they could hear the sounds of the ammunition popping in the flames.

Chief Balderas deemed the building a total loss.

According to Fire Marshal Juan Sauceda, the investigation is still ongoing due to the size of the structure, and it will take some time to go over all the data and information collected.

Several other agencies are involved in the investigation, including the State Fire Marshall's Office, local investigators, and County Fire Marshals.

Sauceda added, "There is still a lot of compromise to the structure, so we have to keep safety in mind."

Additionally, the fire marshal has turned the building over to the owners so that the insurance company can conduct its investigation.