The house across the street from us burned down twice Saturday night.
About 2:30 we were awakened by flashing lights and looked out the window to see several fire trucks right in front of our house. We went out to see what was going on and it turned out there had been a small fire in the house across the street. By the time we noticed them, the Dallas fire department was already rolling up their hoses and such and getting ready to go. You could see some soot aroud some of the windows, but otherwise the house didn't look to be in any worse shape than it had been to begin with (it was a pretty junked out house). We gawked for a few minutes and then went to bed regretting that we had missed all the excitement.
Just after 5:00 AM, we were awakened again, this time by sirens. I went and looked out the front window, joking to my wife that the fire probably started again. The house that had already been put out once now had flames shooting 40 feet out of the roof. Now this was excitement. All the neighbors gathered to watch. The paint blistered and vinyl siding melted on the adjacent houses, but otherwise the damage was confined to the house that burned. After about a half hour the fire was pretty much out so we went back to bed. By the time we got up a few hours later all the excitement was over and everybody had gone home. You can still smell smoke a block away three days later.
There's been much speculation about the double fire and the cause(s) in the 'hood. Nobody would be terribly surprised to learn if it was arson but nobody knows. The insurance adjuster was just over there taking pictures so I went and asked him. He said he didn't know because he hadn't seen the fire report, but that should say. Maybe I'll see if I can see a copy of the fire report. I guess that's a public record.
The city came by on Monday and posted two signs on the house -- one that it was unfit for human habitation and one that the city code requires vacant houses to be closed up and if the house wasn't closed within 48 hours (which would be tomorrow) then the city would close it up for them. Seems kind of pointless to put a sign like that up. When the whole back half of the house has fallen over it's going to be kind of hard to seal it up. Some guys who appeared to work for the slumlord owner came by and took down the 'seal it up' notice. The condemnation notice said it could not be removed so it's still there. The insurance guy confirmed to me that the house was a total loss. I guess it'll be bulldozed pretty soon. I hope it is Friday because I'll be working from home and I can watch.
Update: the ever helpful Dallas Fire Department said the cause of the fire was indeed arson and it's still under investigation. I'm kind of surprised they didn't put up crime scene tape or something.
9:08:03 AM 
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