Fire in vacant building closes Front Street

4/16/2004

A major East Toledo artery was shut down for about two hours yesterday while firefighters battled a blaze at a vacant commercial building at Front and Main streets.

Firefighters were called to 512 Front about 4:30 p.m. where they found a fire in the rear of the two-story structure, Battalion fire Chief Mark Klein said. Fire hoses were laid across Front, forcing authorities to divert traffic at the busy intersection.

The fire may have been started by vagrants who apparently were living under the back porch, Chief Klein said.

The fire destroyed much of the rear of the building and spread inside, he said.