Community Post

House Fire on 20th Near Union – Updated x2

The 911 report and sound of sirens indicates a house fire in the 900 block of 20th Ave, just a bit south of Union.

cdguy is on the way to check it out.  

Update:  SPD is redirecting traffic at Union and Marion.  And here’s the house that’s involved according to Google StreetView:


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Update x2: Scanner says fire was on the back side of the house, and appears to have began on the exterior.  Fire marshalls on the scene.

Update x3: cdguy just got back.  Firefighters apparently have the fire under control.  Said no flames were visible, but there’s a heavy smell of smoke in the area. People at the scene were speculating that it was caused by a BBQ.

Update x4: I spoke to Dana Vanderhouwen at the Fire Department, who said that the fire was ruled accidental, caused by placing some paint brushes near a working water heater.  Damage is estimated at $100,000.  As commenters have said, the home was vacant and there were no injuries.

Here’s another image sent in by Joanna:

Photo of the fire, courtesy Joanna

 

0 thoughts on “House Fire on 20th Near Union – Updated x2

  1. According to a neighbor it is being remodeled and that no one was home and probably no one is living there right now. This would be consistent with the maybe 10 fire trucks and only one medic car on the scene and no ambulances.

  2. No one in the house at the time, no known injuries to anyone including SFD. Great job by SFD, rapid response helped bring this under control quickly. There are some sad but amazing pics that should be posted soon. Apparently, the new owners have not been contacted so if anyone knows them, please let them know. SFD was asking around for a way to contact them. Nothing really to see from the front, all on the back side, most of which is gone. We heard some varnish had recently been applied but cause still unknown. A lot of work had been done by the new owners so sad to see. Not as bad as the XBox fire though. Investigators on the scene and SFD will be there all night.
    We were wondering where CDN was and I pulled out my new fancy cell phone with a data plan and we got a good laugh that you already had it posted. Nice work to Scott and the CDGuy, thanks for keeping us all informed.

  3. I just walked past the scene about 45 minutes ago. There were at least 5 firetrucks, two ambulances, the fire marshall truck, and two police cruisers blocking off each end of 20th avenue. The house address where the fire was located was 920 20th Ave. The firefighters were cordoning off the eastern side of the road with yellow tape. There did not appear to be any smoke or visible damage to the house from the street which is odd judging by the number of firetrucks and responders.

  4. I live across the street from this poor house, which has been a trouble spot for the block for 14 years until it recently sold and gave everyone hope for decent, normal neighbors to take over. And now this…how many times I wished for the damn thing to burn down during those previous years, as the occupants were about as rude and hostile as anyone I’ve ever met, when they weren’t using it as a grow house for another “business.”

    I hope the new owners can salvage it and still make it their home…it deserves much better than it’s gotten.

  5. We have an empty house in my neighborhood. I was chatting with the Mom next door while her daughter (little pitchers and all) was building a snow man, and I said “This house needs a good Mommy or Daddy’.

    I can’t believe I said that, but kind of makes sense.

  6. Wow, we had looked at the house recently, but we passed on it. I thought the history behind the house was interesting (post by mistamatic). It looked pretty beat up and neglected and the back porch even looked like it had caught fire at some point. I just think it’s interesting how most of the homes that we have looked at that are priced in the low 300ks have some sort of “sordid” past.