String of vacant building fires being investigated

  The Roanoke Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating a string of vacant building fires, the first started April 14th.

  The first fire happened on 9th Street in southeast Roanoke.

  The fire destroyed the vacant home.  It got so hot it actually melted a nearby power line.

  Roanoke fire marshal Daniel Rakes said the fire could be considered suspicious since the electricity had been cut off to the home.

  Rakes said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

  Three days later, on April 17th, Rakes ruled a fire in the vacant Roanoke Mills building on Jefferson Street an arson.

  He said that particular building did not have power as well.

  Again, three days later on April 20th, a vacant home at the corner of 18th Street and Rorer Avenue caught fire.

  Firefighters said it started in the attic.

  Rakes confirmed the fire could be considered suspicious as well since the vacant home also did not have power.

  Rakes said it was also still under investigation.

  Rakes said part of the investigation included the question if any of the fires were related, although the answer had not been concluded.

  The fire marshal also said insecure vacant properties could pose a risk to firefighters.

  One firefighter received a very minor injury at the Roanoke Mills fire.

  “You don’t know if the floors are rotted out,“ Rakes said.  “If someone went in and started remodeling the house and removed all the floors.“

  City law requires property owners to board up all doors and windows on the first floor of vacant buildings.

  If the property owner fails to do so, the city does it for them, then bills the owner for expenses.