POTTSBORO, TX-One Texoma fire chief came back to where his home used to stand after flames destroyed it Friday afternoon. Victoria Maranan spoke with him Saturday and she has his story.

"One of our neighbors called me on my phone and said 'your house is on fire.' He's an old firefighter so I thought he was kidding. I said 'sure' and he said 'no, it really is on fire.'"

Locust fire chief Steven Hildebrand was in disbelief when he heard that his house was on fire Friday afternoon while he was working in Sherman. He hopped into his truck and headed home to Pottsboro. When he got there, he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Unfortunately I got here in time to take one good look at it and told chief Vols that I'm gonna be sitting this thing out," he said.

Preston, Locust, Pottsboro, Gunter and Whitesboro fire departments were at the 800-block of Cedar Oak drive Friday, trying to extinguish the flames. Hildebrand said he watched from a distance, seeing his fellow firefighters push to save his house.

"Since I know we're all friends, they probably pushed the envelope and tried to do more than what they should've. They were simply outmatched this time," he said.

The home was a total loss. There was not much left of Hildebrands home, the house he built with his hands ten years ago.

"Just everything that you accumulate over 20 years of marriage and 60 years of life, it's all gone," he said.

Looking through the rubble, Hildebrand sees the remnants of his belongings, including a custom made Harley and an Indian motorcycle. But he said the most painful of it all is losing his four best friends.

"I'm still just numb, I know what was in there. I know what was lost, everything was insured but the pets are gone," he said.

Hildebrand said he and his wife, Cathy, appreciate the support shown by friends and fellow firefighters. But for now, they don't know what to do.

"We're still sorting through our emotions and all, trying to figure out what we're gonna do next. And, really, we just don't know right now."