SINTON, Texas — As the Sinton community continues to recover from the devastating fires that tore through the area, local leaders and neighbors are working together to pick up the pieces.
“The immediate needs have been taken care of,” Mayor Mary Speidel told KRIS 6. “Now it’s a long-term recovery process involving insurance companies and other resources, with the Red Cross playing a major role.” She praised the resilience of the Sinton community and the support received from neighboring towns, calling the response “overwhelmingly appreciated.”
Speidel also addressed concerns over misinformation and emphasized that official updates will only be shared through the city’s social media and website.
For Sinton resident Clemente Sanchez, a longtime volunteer firefighter, alongside his wife Elena, the fire has been particularly personal. While his home remains standing, the houses of his neighbors were destroyed. As he and his wife work to rebuild, they have received an outpouring of support from friends, family, and fellow community members.
“The response of people coming to help me with my house has been overwhelming,” said Sanchez. “I am blessed to have so many people helping, not just with the house, but in spiritual ways too.”
Despite the strong community support, the Sanchez family has suffered another setback when their home was burglarized. Thieves stole power tools, jewelry, money, and a laptop. “How can someone come into someone’s house and break into it after everything we’ve been through?” Sanchez said.
Expressing his connection to the Sinton community, “This is home,” Sanchez said. “I’ve been here for 40 years. I want to stay here.”
A GoFundMe pagehas been set up by Sanchez’s grandson to assist in the rebuilding process as well as recovering the losses from the burglary.
Mayor Speidel encouraged residents looking to help other neighbors as well to visit the city’s website and social media pages for guidance and updates on volunteer efforts.
The city also hosted a special emergency city council meeting to extend the city’s disaster declaration until March 18, which Speidel described as a "precautionary measure."
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