According to Battalion Chief Brad Baldwin, the house was vacant and had no utilities connected.
Our crews reported seeing flames toward the rear of the house on the second floor on arrival. Baldwin said that the fire reached into the attic, which caused firefighters some problems.
The fire is currently under investigation, and an investigator will be at the home later today, Baldwin said.
Baldwin also mentioned that there was another fire in the same area a few weeks ago.
RELATED: Crews battle electrical fire in basement at Dayton home
That fire, which occurred in the same block on Sept. 13, involved an electrical problem in a basement.
There was also a fire in that block of Sherman Street in February, when a fire in a vacant house damaged houses on either side.
RELATED: Vacant house fire spreads, damages neighboring homes in Dayton
RELATED: Fairchild calls for ‘fresh look’ at blight; Mayor Whaley asks where he’d find the money
James Roth, who lives next to the house that caught fire tonight, talked about waking up to find that the neighboring house was on fire.
He was just about to fall asleep, he said, but then started to hear snapping and crackling. He said he looked out his side window to find the house next door of fire, so got dressed as fast as he could and ran outside to call for help.
Roth also talked about the large number of fires that happen in that area. He said that the vacant house that caught fire tonight also had a fire in its living room last week. In addition, a house a couple doors down caught fire two other times, and a different house caught fire about a month ago.
He blamed the fire on homeless people breaking into the houses and setting fires, particularly as the temperatures get colder. He said that he has seen people break into the vacant houses in the area a few times.
About the Author