Over 70 Vehicles Destroyed in Farm Fire Allegedly Caused by a Cigarette

Going to pick out pumpkins from a pumpkin patch at a Texas farm sounds like wholesome family fun. That would typically be the case were it not for a fire that lead to the crispy destruction of 73 parked vehicles.

The fire took place in the parking area of the Robinson Family Farm in Temple, Texas around 1pm on Saturday, October 15th during the farm’s annual Fall Festival. While many families were out enjoying the festivities, including looking for pumpkins for Halloween, a fire erupted nearby that set the parking area in flames.

According to Bell Country Fire Marshal Chris Mahlstedt, they believe cause of the fire may have been the result of an improperly discarded cigarette. Fire departments were able to extinguish the flames by 3:30pm and thankfully, no one was hurt.

In a report by KCENTV, the farm’s owner Helen Robinson said that the fire became massive almost instantly and continued to grow before first responders were able to arrive. “It was just big from the get-go and unfortunately it did get bigger until we were able to get the emergency personnel here to start putting it out. It is definitely stressful and it is definitely not the experience we want for our customers. I am so thankful that we didn’t experience a bigger loss… At the end of the day, it is about community and making sure that everybody has the time in growing memories and we want them to come back out and experience the good that the Robinson Family Farm has to offer.”