VIDEO: Jackson Fire Department estimates they have responded to over 100 vacant house fires this year. Tuesday morning, JFD responded to a fire at an abandoned home on North West Street. One firefighter at the scene suffered minor injuries from falling through the floor at the home.
โOne thing thatโs certain is whenever firefighters enter into these vacant structures, we enter into the unknown because some of these properties are being used for illegal activity. Some of them have gas and electrical services thatโs connected. And when we get there, weโre not sure. Also, when we get there, we just donโt know thereโs holes and floors from properties that previously burned.โ Division Chief Charles Felton is in charge of investigations.
At least 70 percent of those fires have had human involvement. โWe have a large population of homeless here, have a lot of squatters here also, and we have people thatโs in there trying to cook or either trying to, especially in the winter months, trying to keep warm.โ
Felton says the department is working with Mayor John Horhn to come up with a solution for the number of vacant homes in the city. โAnd I know that the mayor is working very hard with the Fire Chief now, having a blight initiative to try to attack these problems within our city.โ
While solutions to this problem are being worked out, the department remains ready to respond as best it can. โFirst, we have to recognize that there is a problem, and once you do that, then you can try to eliminate that problem. So without talking, trying to get with the community and talk with others to try to educate them about the dangers of these fires.โ
