Chaos ensued in the early hours of Tuesday morning when a fire ravaged a vacant building in east central Austin, authorities report. The Austin Fire Department was alerted to the emergency near Capital Plaza at the intersection of Cameron Road and Clayton Lane shortly after 1 a.m. Firefighters encountered heavy flames and a partially collapsed second floor upon arrival, according to KXAN.
Crews on scene of a working structure fire in a vacant two-story building near Cameron Rd/ Clayton Ln. Heavy fire on the second floor with a partial floor collapse. Defensive operations underway. The fire has been knocked down and the structure searched. No injuries reported. pic.twitter.com/NPPbSOcMEf
— Austin Fire Info (@AustinFireInfo) January 16, 2024
Witnesses say that as the first responders reached the crisis at around 1:30 a.m., they were met by a group, four or five individuals who hastily fled the scene. The AFD said that the blaze likely started accidentally by persons in the building seeking refuge from the biting cold that has gripped the city. Indeed, as the mercury dipped to a frigid 21 degrees overnight, the drive for warmth appears to have led to unwarranted destruction, as per KXAN.
The structure was subdued and under control by 2 a.m., and after an exhaustive search, it was confirmed that there were no further occupants inside the precarious remains. It was a stroke of luck that amidst the incident, no firefighters sustained injuries, a testament to the rigorous training and caution exercised by Austin's finest.
