Springfield suffers 22nd vacant structure fire in 2016

(From the Springfield Fire Department)

Investigators are looking into another fire in a vacant structure. The fire occurred early Sunday morning in a duplex on the 800 block of South Robberson. While the investigation is still open, investigators believe the fire was intentionally set. While no one was injured, it did cause $25,000 in damages.

This marks the 22nd fire in a vacant structure in Springfield this year. The Fire Department last responded to a fire at a vacant single-family house Nov. 2 that caused $40,000 in damages.

More than 10% of all Springfield fires occur in vacant structures. Forty-five percent of those are unsecured buildings. Of the 22 vacant building fires reported so far this year, investigators determined 16 were set intentionally, 3 were accidental and the causes of 6 were undetermined. 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.