A massive early-morning fire tore through a vacant building in Cincinnati’s Carthage neighborhood on Wednesday, sending thick smoke rolling over nearby blocks and bringing a heavy response from city fire crews. Firefighters moved in quickly and escalated the blaze to a second alarm to pull in additional engines and aerial units. No injuries were reported.
According to FOX19, flames broke out just before 5 a.m. at the intersection of Rosewood Street and W. 65th Street in Carthage. The station reported that crews bumped the call to a second alarm to bring in more manpower and equipment while firefighters worked to knock down the blaze.
Second alarm stretched crews
When departments strike a second alarm, they typically summon extra ladder trucks, ambulances and staffing to deal with larger or tougher-to-reach fires. In past vacant-building incidents, crews have relied on ladder pipes and exterior hose lines and often stayed on scene for hours to chase hotspots. The city’s Fire Investigative Unit commonly responds to dig into the cause and secure evidence at these scenes, as WCPO reported.
Vacant properties draw renewed scrutiny
City leaders have been pushing measures to hold owners of long-empty buildings accountable, arguing that derelict properties create safety hazards and put extra strain on emergency services. As WLWT reported last year, City Council considered a proposal that would require owners to register properties left vacant for six months, part of a broader effort prompted by an estimated 5,000 vacant buildings across Cincinnati…