KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Flames and smoke billowed from the Northeast Kansas City neighborhood Wednesday afternoon.
Kansas City fire crews responded to the blaze at 409 Askew Avenue shortly after 4:30 p.m.
On Thursday, fire officials said they’re investigating the cause, but that it was likely caused by people who were staying in the abandoned house.
The house has been on record with the city as being vacant since 2013.
The city owns the house, and it’s under the Land Bank’s list for demolition. It’ll be moved up on the list since the fire, said John Wood with Neighborhoods and Housing Services.
“I’d be surprised if it lasts through the week,” said Wood.
Wood said the house didn't come under their ownership until after 2016 when the city was already in the process of demolishing or rehabbing more than 800 abandoned buildings. He said 300 more popped up after that.
409 Askew caught on fire last night. Was a vacant youse. Owned by the city. @41actionnews pic.twitter.com/V06sZGTE4P
— Sarah Plake (@SarahPlakeTV) November 29, 2018
“You knock one down and another one comes up. So we’re working on a budget process right now looking at sources of money so we can handle those 300 or so within a relatively short period of time,” said Wood.
Firefighters encountered heavy fire conditions and quickly moved to fight the fire from outside the home.
A nearby home also caught fire, where a large family lives. They complain that squatters are always in and out of the vacant house.
“I understand them trying to get some heat, I do understand that. I'm more frustrated that there are so many vacant homes, you have so many people who own them that live out of state, don't worry about them, don't care about them. There's other people, many people, looking for houses to live in and that's frustrating to me when you have so many vacant homes and people aren't living in them,” said Lupe Quiñones, who was visiting at her daughter’s house next door.
No injuries were reported, though the American Red Cross was called to assist five adults and one infant.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Fire crews were hampered in fighting the blaze by a car parked in front of a fire hydrant.
