At 12:03 noon today, a page came out that flames were bursting through the roof of 200 E. Tutt St. Both Van Alstyne and Howe Fire Departments raced to the scene to extinguish the roof-penetrating fire. The firemen had to penetrate the building in order to contain the blaze.
“I was told that there’s power to the weather head to the house, but the meter had been pulled,” Howe Acting Police Chief Michael Hill said. “To my knowledge, this house has been empty for a decade plus.”
Hill stated that that the house looks to be a total loss and there will be an investigation.
At this time, Hill said he couldn’t state that it was foul play. “Right now we just need to find out what caused it, seeings how no one was home and hasn’t been anyone home in years. There shouldn’t be anything flammable or anything that lights inside there.”
The house is currently owned by the First Baptist Church of Howe but is under contract waiting for the final sale to the new owner.
Photo gallery of the house fire.
