Fires on Avondale Ave., Pleasant Pl. hit houses
6/20/2013Twelve people were displaced Wednesday when central city houses were hit by fire.
A fire at 1140 Avondale Ave., reported at 11:40 p.m. Tuesday, caused more than $20,000 damage and displaced a woman and child, fire Lt. Matthew Hertzfeld said.
Investigators ruled the fire an arson after finding an empty gas can outside the building.
The neighboring property, 1138 Avondale, where 10 people were watching television coverage of the San Antonio Spurs' loss to the Miami Heat, was damaged, the lieutenant said. Damage was estimated at $7,500.
Lamia Sanders, told Chief Price she was awakened by the sound of breaking glass and then flames, and escaped with her toddler.
A second blaze — about 2 a.m. Wednesday — in a vacant house at 666 Pleasant Pl. caused $17,000 damage, according to Battalion fire Chief Christine Davis. The fire is under investigation.