A fire Wednesday afternoon destroyed a historic Walker County building that had been renovated and turned into a residence.

Firefighters from across the county responded to an emergency call around noon concerning a structure fire at the old Crabbs Prairie Schoolhouse near the intersection of FM 1696 and Highway 75 North. Emergency responders battled the blaze Wednesday afternoon, but the roof collapsed and the house was unable to be saved.

The owners of the home, Max and Jessie Powell, were present at the time of the fire, but were not injured.

John Waldo, Huntsville’s emergency management coordinator, said it was unclear what started the fire and the cause is under investigation.

The Crabbs Prairie Schoolhouse was built in the 1920s. The Walker County Historical Commission presented the Powells with a preservation award for restoring it in 1994.

The Huntsville Fire Department, Crabbs Prairie Volunteer Fire Department, Pine Prairie Volunteer Fire Department, Riverside Volunteer Fire Department, New Waverly Volunteer Fire Department, Willis Fire Department, Walker County Sheriff’s Office, Pct. 1 commissioner’s and constable’s offices, Pct. 3 constable’s office, Walker County Emergency Medical Services, Community Emergency Response Team and Texas Department of Public Safety responded to the scene.

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