Abandoned House Fires Increase with Cooler Temperatures
By: Meagan Fitzgerald
Updated: November 13, 2009
A few weeks ago an abandoned house on Pippen Street went up in flames and across the railroad tracks, there was another abandoned house fire. On Wednesday, firefighters rushed to put the flames out on this vacant house on Lee Avenue.
And for neighbors like Seal Clark who live two doors down, that's a major concern.
Clark said, "Something could happen to the house next door to me, if the wind was up it wouldn't take nothing for that fire to start and come over and I'm worried about that."
She's worried because she has seven grandchildren that she takes care of everyday.
"I have my grandkids here on a daily bases and this one and the one over there is one month old and they're here on a daily bases."
Clark says it's not just her kids, she says there are tons of children that play up and down these streets and she says it's houses like these that are a danger to everyone and she's hoping that city will tear them down.
Cathy Robinson is the assistant code enforcement officer for the city of Monroe and she says that's exactly what the city is working on.
Robinson says if she sees an abandoned home that has not been boarded up, she'll notify the home owner of a violation.
Robinson said, "If nothing is done the officer will forward it to legal for condemnation and it will go before the council."
The next step? Robinson says the council will vote to condem the house.
And for neighbors like Seal Clark who live two doors down, that's a major concern.
Clark said, "Something could happen to the house next door to me, if the wind was up it wouldn't take nothing for that fire to start and come over and I'm worried about that."
She's worried because she has seven grandchildren that she takes care of everyday.
"I have my grandkids here on a daily bases and this one and the one over there is one month old and they're here on a daily bases."
Clark says it's not just her kids, she says there are tons of children that play up and down these streets and she says it's houses like these that are a danger to everyone and she's hoping that city will tear them down.
Cathy Robinson is the assistant code enforcement officer for the city of Monroe and she says that's exactly what the city is working on.
Robinson says if she sees an abandoned home that has not been boarded up, she'll notify the home owner of a violation.
Robinson said, "If nothing is done the officer will forward it to legal for condemnation and it will go before the council."
The next step? Robinson says the council will vote to condem the house.
