Boarded-up Ukiah house burns for the second time in a week

A boarded-up structure northeast of downtown Ukiah caught fire early Thursday for the second time in a week, though the cause of the early morning blaze remains under investigation, fire officials said.

The building was reported to be in flames around 1:48 a.m. Thursday, bringing crews to a gritty area of Brush Street near the railroad, where a large column of smoke was visible from a distance, emergency personnel said.

The house had been unoccupied for some time but is in an area with substantial foot traffic, police and fire officials said.

Homeless individuals often break into the building, and it’s believed people were inside early Thursday when someone else heard the sounds of the fire and called out to alert them, Ukiah Police Lt. Cedric Crook said.

A fire exactly a week earlier had done a fair amount of damage, and the more recent one gutted the remainder of the building, acting Ukiah Valley Fire Authority Capt. Rob Ramseier said.

The cause of the fire remains unknown, Ramseier said.

You can reach Staff Writer Mary Callahan at 707-521-5249 or mary.callahan@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MaryCallahanB.