FRESNO (KMJ) — Fresno Fire says there is a higher risk of vacant home fires now the cooler temperatures are enveloping the Central Valley.
“In fact, to date, we’re about at a 30% increase in vacant apartment structure fires and then about a 10% in our commercial vacant structure fires,” revealed Fire Chief Kerri Donis.
The figures compare 2017 to 2016, and show what Chief Donis calls as a consistent problem in our city.
“The warming fires inside buildings turn into fires and then we end up responding.”
The warning from Fresno Fire Department is that the flames can be fatal, with asphyxiation due to smoke inhalation being a potential danger.
“About this time two years ago, we had that tragic vacant residential fire on Archie [Avenue] where we lost six people.
“It was boarded up from the outside so it was a challenge for us.”
Advice for the owners of vacant buildings is to ensure windows and other access points are boarded up securely, and the site is visited regularly.
“It can help protect the citizens and people inadvertently going in and maybe putting themselves in harm’s way unbeknownst to them,” said Chief Donis.
“But also protecting our firefighters from having to enter those structures.”
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
