Evansville, IN – The Evansville Fire Department responded to an early morning fire at an abandoned building Monday, where crews searched the structure and transitioned to a defensive operation after heavy fire conditions caused part of the roof to collapse.
Firefighters were dispatched around 1:40 a.m. after multiple callers reported a building on fire in the 800 block of North Fourth Avenue.
When crews arrived, they found visible flames and smoke coming from the building and declared a working fire. Firefighters immediately began efforts to control the blaze while conducting a primary search of the structure.
Because the property had reports of homeless activity and there was a possibility that people may have been inside before the fire started, crews worked to determine whether anyone was trapped inside. No one was found during the search.
As firefighters continued operations, they encountered heavy fire conditions throughout multiple areas of the building. During the response, a portion of the roof collapsed, prompting an order for all companies to exit the structure.
Crews then transitioned to a defensive operation, continuing to fight the fire from outside the building until it was brought under control.
Firefighters remained at the scene for more than an hour before the fire was extinguished. The Evansville Fire Department reported that no civilians or firefighters were injured.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Fire crews are expected to return periodically throughout the day to monitor for remaining hotspots.
The department said investigators used a digital 360-degree scene scanner to document the fire scene, allowing them to accurately capture details and revisit the location virtually after the emergency response concluded.
