Sunday Evening Fire on 19th Street in San Angelo

A fire involving a single residence structure broke out at 7 p.m. this evening. Flames as high as the treetops were reported on 19th Street, between Van Buren and Jefferson. The roof of the structure has burned off.

The flames were extinguished by 7:25 p.m. and firefighters are now searching for sources of heat and knocking them out while an investigation into the cause was launched. Traffic in and around the structure fire is heavy as people drive over to check out the scene.

Update 10:45 p.m. (Final)

Battalion Chief Rick Long said that when the firefighters arrived shortly after 7 p.m., the entire structure was engulfed in flames. Firefighters attacked the fire from the outside only, as the roof was already partially collapsed.

A strong wind out of the south threatened to spread the fire. Containing the fire to just the structure was his priority.

After 20-30 minutes, the majority of the danger was over as firefighters brought the fire under control.

Long said that the structure was not inhabited, but as the investigation proceeds, they have heard rumors that homeless people may have been in the structure. Long did not indicate that firefighters have found any evidence of that, however.

The structure is a total loss. Long said that he is asking the city to bulldoze what is left of the structure as a safety measure it after the fire is completely extinguished and cooled as well as when the investigation allows it.

The official time of the fire alarm was 7:03 p.m.