Faulty cash register may be to blame for store fire

The fire broke out early this morning along the East Freeway near Federal Road. (KTRK Photo / Marvin Suggs)

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Family Dollar store went up in flames in east Houston and firefighters say a faulty cash register might be to blame.

The fire broke out at the store on Federal near the East Freeway around 4:30am. When firefighters arrived, they had to break in the front door to put out the flames near a cash register.

Investigators say it looks to have been an electrical problem of some sort, but the fire is still under investigation.

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Spring woman accused of trying to pin blame for serious car accident on ex-husband

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Spring woman is accused of attempting to pin a serious car accident on her ex-husband who was actually working at the time.

According to court documents, on March 8 a driver was seriously injured when a dark colored Ford F-150 struck her vehicle in the 200 block of Cypresswood Dr. in north Harris County. The victim says the driver fled the scene without stopping.

Detectives say they found the license plate in the debris and traced it to a Matthew Wallace. Further investigation revealed that the license had been canceled and a new plate had been issued on March 23, and that the vehicle was involved in another accident on April 22.

Court documents state investigators went to the address listed with the new license plate and observed a Ford F-150 bearing the new plate with front-end damage consistent with the Cypresswood crash.

Investigators interviewed the complainant in both reports, Brenna Nicole Wallace. They say she told them that she drove the truck to a night club where she met her ex-husband, Matthew Wallace, and that they were both intoxicated and left the club in her truck. According to investigators, Brenna Wallace said Matthew Wallace was the driver of the vehicle that night and that he was involved in the accident. They say she admitted to getting new license plates for the truck after the accident.

Court records show that investigators interviewed Matthew Wallace who provided copies of work time sheets that show he was working at the time of the accident. He also provided a copy of his divorce decree which awarded the truck to Brenna Wallace. Investigators say Matthew Wallace showed them a picture that Brenna Wallace texted to him the day of the accident saying she was involved in an accident and showing the damage, and asking him for advice.

Brenna Wallace, 31, is charged with failure to stop and render aid. Bond has been set at $5,000.

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Candle may be to blame for house fire

Firefighters say the father woke up to the smell of smoke, discovered the front of the house on fire and evacuated his family.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A burning candle appears to have started a fire that destroyed a home in northeast Houston.

Firefighters say the home on Bennington near Glass didn't have electricity. The residents used candles, and one of them apparently started the fire that engulfed the home and spread to an RV. The male resident woke up to the smell of smoke around 1am.

He made it out with his wife and infant before firefighters arrived. He suffered a cut during the process and went to the hospital.

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Slick roads may be to blame for fatal accident

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A driver is dead after trying to pass a vehicle on slick roads Mondaynight.

It happened around 9pm on West Little York near North Wayside in northeast Houston. Investigators say the driver made a left turn onto W. Little York at a high rate of speed when he lost control of his vehicle and flipped his truck. He was transported to LBJ Hospital and died a short time later.

Police say the 30-year-old male victim was not wearing a seat belt. His name has not been released.

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Tornado to blame for Fort Bend County damage

  FORT BEND COUNTY, TX (KTRK) -- The National Weather Service says a tornado is to blame for a significant amount of damage to homes in Fort Bend County, in the Mission Bend area at Bissonnet and Royal Way.

The NWS confirmed a EF-1 tornado did touch down in Ft. Bend County near the intersection of Bissonnet and Gains Road, damaging several homes along Turphin Way. The tornado crossed north of Bissonnet and caused roof damage to approximately 10 homes along Royal Way, and then more damage along Havencrest and Vistamont Drive, with the path ending near the intersection of Rockey Valley Road and High Haven Drive.

"You could hear stuff flying around outside," said Umair Sayyed.

He wasn't sure what was happening, but in a matter of seconds it became obvious that his family was in serious danger. That's when his instincts kicked in.

"Out of nowhere the front door was locked and closed and it just flew open. So I grabbed my mom and sister and rushed them to the closet in the master bedroom," Sayyed, 21, said.

He, his 4-year-old sister and his mother huddled close and cushioned themselves with pillows as the house began to shake and rattle.

"It just got louder. You could hear the wood flying around and the fences collapsing and the roof started caving in and started falling inside the house," said Sayyed.

While the wind pummeled Sayyed's house for about 30 seconds, it certainly made its mark. When it stopped, the roof to the garage was gone -- sheets of plywood tossed everywhere. The damage here was widespread. Several neighbors lost fences while others were left with leaky roofs and major property damage.

"You can see my car got damaged too. Pretty bad on the back so it was pretty crazy," said neighbor Mohammad Akif.

Sayyed knows everything that was lost in Monday's storm can be replaced. He's still shaken but looking back. He says none of this matters so long as his family is safe.

"That's all we tried to worry about. I tried to get my sister to the safest place," he said.

Sayyed has already been in touch with his insurance company. We've already seen several contractors out in the neighborhood trying to solicit business.

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Electrical problem may be to blame for shopping center fire

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A shopping center was damaged by an overnight fire in Houston's northwest side.

It happened at a shopping center off Mangum and Dacoma. Fire crews found fire and smoke coming from the back of two stores in the shopping center; one was a restaurant, the other a boutique shop.

Crews quickly put out the flames. They say it appears to be an electrical problem that started the fire.

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