Springfield fire chief: Vacant structure fires dangerous, costly

(From the Springfield Fire Department)

A fire in a vacant structure last Tuesday night is symbolic of a problem Springfield Fire Chief David Hall says is both dangerous and costly.

The Fire Department responded to a fire at a vacant single-family house at 11:30 p.m. Nov. 2. There were two separate fires: one inside and outside the house. While no one was injured, there was approximately $40,000 in damages.

Nearly 11% of all Springfield fires are in vacant structures. Forty-five percent of those are unsecured buildings. An intensity map illustrates the geographic location of the fires in vacant structures over the past 10 years, something the Fire Department tracks to help target educational efforts.

Fire Chief David Hall encourages residents that are aware of unsecure or boarded-up houses or building in their neighborhoods, to report them to the City, by contacting the Citizen Resource Center at 417-864-1010 or call 911 if criminal activity is suspected.