AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man was arrested one day after Austin Fire crews put out a fire at a vacant building on Congress Avenue between 9th and 10th streets. No one was hurt, but it caused an estimated $1 million in damages, AFD said.
The Austin Fire Department told KXAN crews were called out around 11:40 p.m. Monday after a 911 caller reported seeing smoke. Fire crews saw flames in a second-floor window of the building at 907 Congress Avenue and called out more crews to help.
AFD posted on social media at 1 a.m. that crews were working outside the building because of structural conditions. AFD said crews were putting out hotspots and you could no longer see flames from the outside of the building.
The fire was out early Tuesday morning, and AFD tweeted at 9:21 a.m. Tuesday the building was under fire standby all night as crews were watching it and extinguishing small flare-ups.
John Daniel Banks, 32, was arrested in connection with the fire and faces an arson charge, according to AFD. If convicted, he could face between two and 10 years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000, AFD said.
According to AFD, the fire did not spread beyond the vacant structure, and there was no one inside at the time of the fire.