‘I’m worried it’s only the beginning’: String of fires has Temple, Texas residents fearing an arsonist

TEMPLE, Texas (KWTX) - A string of fires has residents worried an arsonist could be targeting homes.

Old Howard Road is where the Temple Fire Department said firefighters have responded to recent blazes that remain under investigation.

Shortly after 4:30 a.m. on Sept. 19, Temple Fire and Rescue responded to a call off Old Howard Rd. and arrived to find dozens of hay bales burning on the side just inside the property gate.

It was just one in a string of recent calls.

“There have been a couple other ones in the area,” said Santos Soto, the public information officer with Temple Fire and Rescue.

“I know in addition to the hay bales that were on fire, there was also I believe and old structure the guys responded to.”

It was an old, abandoned house just down the street from where the h