This story has been updated to clarify that while both houses were part of the exercise, but only one was set on fire that day.
Two abandoned homes near the heart of downtown West Palm Beach were long a nuisance to the neighborhood, but in the end proved helpful to the city’s fire department when in early June one went up in flames — on purpose.
More than a dozen firefighters arrived at the site of two one-story houses in the 600 black of 2nd Street well ahead of the fire’s ignition on June 2. The fire was scheduled as a training exercise on a lot just north of Banyan Boulevard and west of Rosemary Avenue where a Publix is planned. The crews battled the house fire while keeping its neighbor from also going up in flames.
Two vacant buildings on the property were owned Related Ross, which provided them to the city.
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“These structures have sat vacant for several years, becoming a source of ongoing concern for neighboring residents. We wanted to provide the West Palm Beach Fire Department with valuable hands-on experience right here in our community, ” said Jordan Rathlev, Executive Vice President of Related Ross.
The day included an evolution of ‘live burns’ and coordinated response exercises, all under strict safety protocols, city officials said. The exercises also included the rescue of a new and temporary resident — a training manikin.
“These types of exercises are essential to ensuring our firefighters are prepared to respond quickly, safely, and effectively when real emergencies occur,” West Palm Beach Fire Department Chief Diana Matty, said in a statement issued ahead of the burn. “Training in realistic conditions strengthens our department’s ability to protect lives, property, and the community we serve.”
Sonja Isger is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network.. She can be reached at sisger@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Watch West Palm Beach firefighters burn houses, clear land for Publix
Reporting by Sonja Isger and Greg Lovett, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Sonja Isger and Greg Lovett, Palm Beach Post | USA TODAY Network
