AFD sees uptick in fires around Austin

AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Fire Department (AFD) has responded to several fires, recently at an abandoned building in North Austin. The most recent included a trash fire on Monday evening.

On Monday, June 24, Austin fire crews were called out to a fire at an abandoned building on 900 Old Koenig Lane. The fire was the result of a trash fire started outside the building. Within minutes, the flames were knocked down without any injuries and minimal extension into the building.

This was not the first fire AFD has responded to at the vacant building.

Photo courtesy: Austin Fire Department

"This is one of many fires that we've had at this address. Previously, within the last couple of weeks, we've had another fire at the same address, just around the opposite side of the building," said Rachael Lewis, with AFD.

Austin fire has been responding to multiple fires across the city. In fact, Lewis says firefighters will usually be called out at least once every day.

"We have just seen an uptick in all kinds of fire; trash fires, residential structure fires, industrial complex fires," she said.

However, at the vacant building on Koenig Lane, it has happened quite a few times.

On March 20, AFD responded to a structure fire. Three days later, on March 23, AFD responded again to a trash fire. Investigators say the building is occupied by homeless people.

"They completed multiple searches of the building. They found evidence of persons experiencing homelessness in and surrounding the building," said Lewis.

"We do have multiple areas within the city that we respond to quite often. Sometimes for different call types. It's not always fires. Oftentimes it's medicals in the same area or fires in the same area, but this is our job. We're here to fight fire regardless of who started it or how it started," Lewis added.