5 firefighters sent to hospital after vacant house catches fire a 3rd time

UPDATE: On Tuesday morning, IFD said all five firefighters had been released from the hospital. All are expected to make a full recovery. Additionally, IFD said that after examination at the hospital none of the firefighters sustained serious injuries.

Also, the department has ruled that the fire was intentionally set.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Five firefighters were taken to a hospital after a vacant house caught fire Monday night southeast of downtown Indianapolis.

Indianapolis Fire Department was called to a residence fire shortly after 9:05 p.m. Monday in the 1700 block of Fletcher Avenue. The house is across the street from William McKinley Elementary School 39.

Rita Reith, a spokesperson for Indianapolis Fire Department, said five firefighters had entered the house through a second-floor window over the porch. Once inside, the floor collapsed. One firefighter received serious but not life-threatening injures, while the other four were taken to a hospital as a precaution.

The fire was the third in the vacant home this year, which may mean “people being in there who shouldn’t be,” Reith said. She did not immediately say when the two previous fires happened.

Since firefighters were injured in this third fire, efforts to address the vacant home will likely be ramped up, she said.

No other injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

Two neighboring houses suffered fire damage. Those homes were evacuated safely.

Indiana’s state fire marshal was at the scene.