Indianapolis firefighters responded to several separate incidents on Saturday at homes, a vacant church and a downtown restaurant.
A suspected arson destroyed a vacant church on the city’s southeast side Saturday afternoon.
Indianapolis Fire Department crews responded to the building in the 1600 block of Cruft Street at 3:11 p.m. after dispatchers received multiple 911 calls, IFD Battalion Chief Rita Reith said in a news release. As they arrived on scene, crews saw fire in the church’s first floor and basement.
A total of 13 IFD units were dispatched and launched an “aggressive” offensive response but were pulled from the building at 3:21 p.m. after its structure was deemed compromised.
Investigators believe the fire was intentionally set.
Elsewhere in the city, firefighters responded to two separate incidents at homes.
Residence fires in the 2900 block of Station Street and the 800 block of California Street displaced a combined seven adults and four children, all of whom will be connected to temporary shelter via the American Red Cross, the fire department said.
Multiple 911 calls resulted in nearly a dozen IFD units being dispatched just after noon to the home on Station Street, where crews found heavy fire near the back of the house. Responders took one woman to an area hospital for treatment due to possible smoke inhalation. The fire displaced five adults and three children.
Crews arrived at the home on California Street just before 4 p.m., where they saw heavy smoke and fire pouring from the rear of the building.
The building was seriously damaged as fire “tore through (the) attic space,” the news release said. Firefighters brought the fire under control by 4:06 p.m., and the source of the blaze remains under investigation. One firefighter was taken to Methodist Hospital with a heat-related injury.
Saturday evening, around 5 p.m., a fire in the chimney area of Union 50’s brick pizza oven left the restaurant, located at 620 East St., temporarily shuttered.
The fire department said about 20 staff and patrons were evacuated and safe before crews arrived on scene, just after 5 p.m. Crews had the fire under control within 12 minutes, the news release said.
When reached by phone Saturday evening, Union 50 staff told IndyStar the restaurant reopened around 7 p.m.
Call IndyStar reporter Holly Hays at 317-444-6156. Follow her on Twitter: @hollyvhays.
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