Crews responded shortly before 2 p.m. to the fire at the vacant two-story house in the 100 block of South June Street, just off East Fifth in the Historic Inner East neighborhood. Neighbors said squatters were often seen going in and out of the building.
“When we got here, it was fully involved coming from the back side of the house so we had to dispatch additional crews,” Barnes said.
Firefighters initially were inside the house, but the fire flashed over, so Barnes said crews had to be called out under an emergency evacuation. No firefighters were injured, he said.
Although the house was very close to the two adjacent homes, the district chief said they were able to prevent the fire from spreading.
“We’re deeming it suspicious, under investigation,” Barnes said of the cause of the fire, because the house had been vacant for some time and its utilities were disconnected.
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
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