This story has been updated with additional information.
Amarillo fire crews were at the same location on North Van Buren on Tuesday, Aug. 26, to fight a fire in a different location of the residence, which is being treated as a separate incident. The cause of Tuesday’s fire is not yet known, and the Amarillo Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating.
Amarillo firefighters had worked more than two hours to put out a fire at a vacant residence with “hoarder-like conditions” Monday morning, Aug. 25, with the cause of the fire later determined to be arson.
Crews with the Amarillo Fire Department responded to the report of a structure fire in the 820 block of North Van Buren Street around 10:17 a.m. Monday. When they arrived at the scene, firefighters found a single-story, single-family dwelling with light smoke showing from roof vents.
AFD responded to the fire with six apparatus and 19 personnel. The department said firefighters began to work on putting out the fire, but they encountered hoarder-like conditions and “had difficulty accessing the attic space. Crews then temporarily backed out and re-entered with additional support to complete fire suppression. Tactical benchmarks, including fire control and extinguishment, were achieved after more than two hours of operations.”
No injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported. The residence, which was later determined to be vacant at the time of the fire, sustained heavy fire damage, particularly in a bedroom identified as the room where the fire started.
The Amarillo Fire Marshal’s Office responded to investigate and determined the fire was intentionally set “using an open flame ignition source in conjunction with ignitable liquids.” A suspect has not yet been identified.
Loss estimates are still pending further assessment.AFD reminds the community that vacant and unsecured structures pose significant risks, not only for potential fire damage, but also for first responders who must operate under hazardous conditions. Community members areurged to report any suspicious activity around abandoned properties to local authorities.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo crews battle 2nd fire at North Van Buren residence
Reporting by Kristina Wood, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
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