One of the Texas homes of former NFL defensive back Earl Thomas was destroyed Thursday after a fire.
The blaze started in the late afternoon in Orange, Texas, and when firefighters arrived the heavy smoke and flames were too much to try and handle.
Orange Fire Department Deputy Chief Payton Smith says Thomas told the battalion chief that at about 5 p.m. he heard a popping sound, like the sound of lightning hitting his home. Thomas said he and two other family members at the home saw smoke and got out quickly.
One official told 12News he doesn't have any reason to believe the fire was set on purpose, but they're waiting for the state fire marshal to arrive Friday and investigate the cause. https://t.co/KL8neky52y
— 12NewsNow (@12NewsNow) August 12, 2022
Chief Matt Manshack with Little Cypress Fire and Orange County ESD 4 told 12newsnow the fighters went into “defensive mode.”
“When we arrived on scene the guys, the firefighter crew went in found heavy fire conditions in that corner. We’re unable to get it under control quickly. With the size of the structure the choice was made by them to go ahead and pull out and just go defensive with it,” he said.
Reports indicated the fire could have been started by a lightning strike as storms were in the area at the time but an investigation is underway.
“There’s 100 different things that could have happened,” Manshack said. “There was a storm that rolled through here, so we’re looking into that.”
Smith calls it the largest residential fire in terms of monetary damage in the city’s history.
#Orange Fire Department officials are investigating a fire that destroyed a home that belongs to former NFL Free Safety Earl Thomas. Following a preliminary investigation today, officials believe the fire could have been caused by lightning.https://t.co/36mX0ZEnyf pic.twitter.com/zr5wDZywhZ
— KFDM News (@kfdmnews) August 12, 2022
Thomas starred at the University of Texas before playing 10 NFL seasons, nine with Seattle and one with Baltimore.
He has been out of the NFL since 2019.