As the winter season approaches with its cold temperatures, city leaders and officials are urging the public to report any vagrants who are frequenting local abandoned properties. Within the last month, Assistant Fire Chief Kenny Washington said there have been at least four property fires within Yazoo City that he believes were started by vagrants inside abandoned buildings.
“We have had at least four fires within the last month that were all connected to vagrants inside abandoned buildings,” Washington said. “We urge the public to report any sightings of vagrants inside these structures, especially as the cold season approaches.”
Although no suspects have been charged as of press time, Washington said he believes it was vagrants who started the fire that consumed a portion of the historic African-American Hospital earlier this month.
“I have spoken with several witnesses who have seen two or three people going in and out of there, using the building to sleep inside,” Washington said. “When the cold snap hit our city earlier this month, I believe it was vagrants inside who started a fire to keep warm, and it got out of control.”
Washington said the Yazoo City Fire Department also responded to a fire at a vacant house on the corner of Fourth Street and Grand Avenue, located near the First Baptist Church, last Wednesday. Again, he believes the fire was started by vagrants.
“The house was vacant with no power or electricity,” Washington said. “We were able to get the fire under control when it happened. But there have been more reports of people going inside the back of the house.”
Fire Chief Ricky Harris told city leaders during the recent city council meeting those vagrants inside abandoned structures is a growing problem within the community.
“Most of the recent fires have started with people staying inside these abandoned houses,” Harris said. “It is a problem that is getting out of hand.”
Mayor David Starling admits the city has a homeless population, which he said should spearhead the city’s efforts to eliminate the abandoned structures within the community.
“We need to be more diligent in handling our abandoned properties,” Starling said. “We should focus on taking away the places that some of these vagrants are going. Most of the fires we have had were set by people. And it is getting colder. With these abandoned structures, it is a recipe for a disaster.”
Alderman Charlie Jenkins urges the public to contact their alderman or the Yazoo City Police Department to report the presence of any vagrants inside these structures.
“If someone is staying inside an abandoned house, it is an accident waiting to happen,” Jenkins said.
The Yazoo City Police Department can be reached by calling 662-746-1131.
