WHAT: High-rise building fire.
WHEN: July 14, 2023, at 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: 3900 Harrisburg Blvd. 77003.
INJURIES: No reported injuries.
PROPERTY SAVED: Not available.
DAMAGE: Not available.
CAUSE: Unintentional (heat source too close to combustible).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Firefighters arrived on scene within four minutes to find smoke coming from the second and third floors of a high-rise building and requested the fire be upgraded to a second alarm. The building was under demolition and had no operational offices or fire suppression systems. Crews found and extinguished a pallet of cardboard on fire on the second floor. A primary search was conducted of the second and third floors and firefighters checked for extension with none found. Additional units were requested to relieve the crews due to the extreme heat. CenterPoint was requested to secure the utilities and fire inspector responded to the scene to investigate the status of the building. It was determined that demolition crews had been cutting metal materials which sparked on to the pallet of cardboard and ignited a fire. 113 personnel were dispatched to this incident, including crews from Stations 16, 17, 23, 6, 8, 19, 20, 46, 3, 7, 9, 18, 11, 15, 37, 30, and Rehab 17.