Fire destroys vacant two-story Danville house | News | news-gazette.com

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DANVILLE — A two-story, wood-frame house was a total loss in what firefighters are terming an incendiary blaze.

Assistant Fire Chief William Ryan said the vacant house at 113 Elmwood Ave. was fully involved when firefighters, who were called at 6:42 p.m., arrived. Crews found heavy fire at the rear of the structure with smoke and flames also coming from the second-floor windows and from the roof and eaves.

Ryan said the house had been boarded up for more than 10 years and had no active utilities.

“The deteriorated condition of the building and the heavy fire conditions made entry into the building unsafe,” Ryan said.

Fire crews battled the fire from the exterior and from above using the department’s ladder truck.

Wind conditions also hindered operations and intensified the fire. Crews battled the fire for just over an hour before it was extinguished.

Ryan said due to the structure’s unsafe condition, the decision was made to completely demolish it. Owens Excavating was called in to oversee the demolition, while fire crews remained on scene to assist with any potential flare-ups of hot spots.

Fire units cleared the scene at 9:44 p.m. No injuries were reported. Estimated dollar loss was placed at $5,000.

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