Neighbors along Crosstimbers in Houston looked up Tuesday to find a towering column of dark smoke after a massive fire ripped through a long-abandoned restaurant building, triggering a big emergency response and keeping fire crews on the scene for hours.
According to KHOU, firefighters spent hours battling heavy flames inside the vacant structure, which the station noted has a troubled history. Video from the scene showed multiple engine companies surrounding the building while investigators moved in to start their work.
Vacant Buildings Keep Igniting Safety Concerns
City and county leaders have been sounding the alarm about fires at vacant or nuisance properties, pointing to a pattern that extends far beyond a single deserted restaurant. In February, Harris County tore down an abandoned Channelview hotel after it caught fire eight times in roughly a year, a move officials said was necessary because chronic nuisance properties drain first-responder resources, the Houston Chronicle reported.
Investigators Zero In On Cause
KHOU reported that investigators were called to the scene to determine where and how the Crosstimbers blaze started, while firefighters focused on knocking out hotspots and keeping the fire from rekindling. Nearby streets were blocked off as crews worked around the charred shell of the building and secured the property.
What Could Be Next For The Block
Fire investigators will now sort out the cause of the blaze and assess how badly the structure was damaged. Depending on what they find, city or county officials could move to label the property a nuisance and pursue demolition if it is deemed a continuing hazard.
Similar crackdowns on problem buildings have included outright demolition and dedicated funding to remove dangerous vacant structures, the Chronicle reported. In the meantime, residents are being urged to steer clear of the area while fire crews finish their work and investigators wrap up their on-site review.
