"Vacant" properties in Maine and kids playing inside them in Nevada
Lewiston, Maine. After a multiple alarm fire ripped through two vacant apartment buildings on Monday, as well as the 29 April blaze that destroyed three buildings, city officials in Lewiston, Maine have begun checking other vacant properties. As is the usual case after a significant fire in a vacant /abandoned structure, city officials and authorities have taken efforts to assure the public that similar fires can be prevented and tragedy averted. The oddity in Lewiston is that the first vacant apartment building to burn was not actually vacant at all.
The fire that involved 105-111 Blake Street began in a building that was listed as “condemned” but still occupied according to Lewiston Code Enforcement Officer Tom Maynard. The condemned listing comes after an inspection found the interior infested with mold and the structural stability questionable. Eviction notices were issued in March and at the time of the fire six of the nine units inside were still occupied. The owner of the property walked away after reportedly being unable to pay the mortgage. Additional reporting on the apartment painted it as haven for drug users and a building with a fire alarm system of questionable operation.
Las Vegas, Nevada. On 2 May a group of young boys began playing inside a vacant house on Howard Drive, running in and out setting off fireworks. Play continued and eventually a fire was set that grew, reportedly flashed, and chased most of the boys out. Firefighters were met outside by one boy, arms and clothing burnt, who told them his brother was still inside. His body was found in the area of origin.
Here are other instances of fires in vacant, abandoned buildings that were found to be occupied during the month of May. You can read about past months here. As always stated when discussing theses fires on our site or Facebook page, this is not a call to rush inside without due regard for safety, but that each size-up is different. When the building, fire conditions, staffing and resources allow, a search should be heavily considered instead of denying the search based on fear and the assumption that all vacants are empty and should be fought by exterior operations only.
Houston, TX Squatters known to use vacant home that burned.
Huntington, WV Man charged with vacant house fire.
Trinity, NC Body found in vacant house fire.
Muskegon, MI Three teens charged with vacant house fire.
Midvale, UT Abandoned school fire concerns residents.
Related
“Lewiston fire started in condemned building” Byrne, Morning Sentinel
“Maine, Condemned Apartment Building Occupied During Three-Alarm Blaze” FireRescue Magazine/FirefighterNation.com
“Maine City Cracks Down on Abandoned Properties after String of Major Fires” FireRescue Magazine/FirefighterNation.com
“Lewiston officials step up vacant property policing after third fire in a week” Graham, Morning Sentinel
“Lewiston, Maine residents on edge after 3rd fire in a week” Sinclair, NECN.com
“Boy killed in fire was playing with brother inside vacant home” Nordli, Las Vegas Sun
“One child dies, another burned In Oakey house fire” Gonzalez, News3
“One Boy Killed, One Injured in Las Vegas Vacant House Fire” FireRescue Magazine/FirefighterNation.com
Lewiston fire photo (AP Photo/Sun-Journal, Christopher Williams)
Bill Carey is the online public safety news and blog manager with PennWell Public Safety, or more specifically FireRescue Magazine/FirefighterNation.com, JEMS.com, LawOfficer.com and FireEMSBlogs.com. Bill started in the fire service, as a third generation firefighter in 1986, on the eastern shore of Maryland and then continued after moving to Prince George's County. He served as a volunteer sergeant and lieutenant at Hyattsville where he met Chris Hebert and Dave Ianonne, the creators of Firehouse.com. Bill went to work for them back in 2001 and after they transitioned away to new, bigger projects, he was hired by them again in 2009. Bill's responsibilities are, well, a lot. Bill's writing has been on Firehouse.com, Fire Engineering, FireRescue Magazine, FirefighterNation.com, the Jones and Bartlett 2010 edition of "Fire Officer: Principles and Practice", The Secret List and Tinhelmet.com.
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