(Source: City of Waco)

October 30, 2008

On Friday night, Oct. 24, three fires occurred in Waco near the downtown area within an approximate seven block radius of each other. The first fire was reported at 9:23 p.m. at 2310 W. Waco Dr. at a vacant restaurant building. The fire was quickly contained and extinguished with little damage to the interior of the building and minor damage to the exterior of the building.

The second fire was reported at 11:49 p.m. at the vacant former Townhouse Hotel at 1715 Washington Ave. This building has been vacant for a number of years and though it had a security fence around it, was still subject to trespassers and vandalism. The fire in the building extended through the rear wing and caused considerable structural damage throughout the structure.

The third fire was reported at 4:40 a.m. in the early morning hours of Saturday, Oct. 25 at the former Sanger Avenue Elementary School at 17th and Sanger Ave. This school building, the main portion of which was built in 1904, sustained major fire damage. Fire crews reported fire throughout the building upon arrival. Within three minutes of arrival, the bell tower collapsed into the structure and opening the roof. This ventilation of the fire caused an immediate escalation of the fires intensity.

The main portions of the old school building consisted of brick masonry construction with wood floors and wood beams and joists for the floors and ceilings. These combustible items were consumed in the intense heat of the fire. The intense heat of the fire also affected the mortar holding the bricks causing extreme structural instability.

The Waco Fire Department’s Fire Marshal’s Office assisted by a fire investigator from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms investigated the three fires. The conclusion is that the fires were deliberately set and were connected. The common factors are that the buildings are within easy walking distance of each other, vacant and do not have utilities connected. These fires will be investigated as arsons.

We are asking for the help of the public. Anyone with information about these fires is encouraged to call the Waco Fire Marshal’s Office at 750-1740.