Fire torches vacant house in Kingsland raising count of suspicious fires
KINGSLAND — Authorities are investigating a fire that destroyed a vacant house in the Comanche Rancherias subdivision over the weekend, according to fire officials.
A neighbor in the 500 block of Pecan Street heard a "bang," spotted the fire at 1:28 a.m. Nov. 17 and called 9-1-1.
PHOTO: A fire destroyed a vacant house in the Comanche Rancherias subdivision in Kingsland on Nov. 17. Authorities are investigating the cause. The home, located in the 500 block of Pecan Street, is one of more than 20 suspicious blazes Llano County deputies are looking into. Staff photo by Jared Fields
"We got there, found a fully involved structure. The roof was falling in," said Kingsland Volunteer Fire Chief Danny Stone, who added he believed the house had been unoccupied for several weeks. "(The cause is) unexplained and, with the other problems we’ve had through the summer, then it gets referred to the investigation."
The fire department has worked about 20 fires since mid-June, including one that destroyed the Seton Kingsland Healthcare Center that was under construction. A new clinic is being built.
Llano County Sheriff’s deputies and the state fire marshal launched a series of investigations. Officials charged a 17-year-old man in the case of a suspicious shed fire Oct. 2 in the 100 block of Wood Forrest Drive.
No fatalities in any of the fires have been reported.
Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at (325) 247-5767 or the Hill Country Area Crime Stoppers at 1-866-756-TIPS (8477).