FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) UPD — An investigation is underway in central Fresno after a Carl’s Jr. caught on fire Wednesday night.
The fire sparked shortly after 6:00 p.m. on McKinley and Blackstone Avenues.
Fresno firefighters arrived to heavy smoke and flames coming from the building’s windows and roof.
Carl’s Jr. catches on fire in central Fresno. (FOX26 Photojournalist Ronnie Gerber)
With the building having a history of homeless activity and previous fires, crews initially performed a search to ensure no one was inside.
They say no one was hurt.
“All firefighters and civilians in the area are safe,” Fresno Fire Battalion Chief Timothy Fulmer says. “About 36 firefighters responded tonight, and our ladder trucks are now applying water from above to fully extinguish the fire and protect nearby buildings.”
Officials suspect the fire was started by a homeless person.
They say the building has been empty for some time and was boarded up.
One business owner nearby says because of this, it’s attracting homeless people.
“We’ve seen Carl’s Jr. has been boarded up for about maybe the past month or so, and because of that we’ve been seeing a lot of the unhoused individuals straggling or hanging around those areas,” says Harman Dhillon.
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The intersection of McKinley and Blackstone will remain closed for the three to four hours while firefighters work to contain the fire.
