A fire tore through a double residence on Indianapolis's east side Wednesday afternoon, displacing three adults but sparing anyone from injury because no one was home when it broke out. The Indianapolis Fire Department said crews were called to 1826 Brookside Ave. around 12:16 p.m. and found heavy black smoke pouring from the second floor.
The fire was reported at approximately 12:16 p.m. Wednesday at the Brookside Avenue address, according to Country Herald. In a post on X, the Indianapolis Fire Department
said crews arrived to find “smoke showing and heavy black smoke on the second floor” of the double, and that fortunately nobody was inside when the flames broke out.
Firefighters mounted what the department described as an aggressive attack, bringing the fire under control within 15 minutes. Three adults were displaced as a result, and no injuries were reported from the incident, the report notes.
Victims Assistance Steps In to Help With Shelter
With the displaced residents needing somewhere to stay, IFD's Victims Assistance personnel were coordinating with the American Red Cross to help those affected secure temporary shelter, the same account states. The department's Fire Investigations unit is examining what caused the blaze, though no preliminary cause had been announced as of the department's Wednesday update.
Officials have not released a damage estimate or indicated when the displaced residents might be able to return home, leaving key questions about the extent of the loss unanswered for now.
Echoes of a Similar Blaze Last Fall
This is not the first time an Indianapolis house fire has upended the lives of three adults in a matter of minutes. Last November, a fire reported around 9:30 p.m. in the 3900 block of North Lawndale Avenue also displaced three adults, along with several pets, according to WTHR. In that case, fire crews from the Indianapolis, Speedway and Pike Township departments responded after an alert neighbor warned residents to evacuate, and the fire was brought under control in roughly 20 minutes with no injuries reported.
For now, the Brookside Avenue fire remains under investigation, with the cause, the scope of the damage, and a timeline for the displaced residents' return all still unknown.
