Brownwood City Fire Marshal Buddy Preston is asking the public for assistance. On the evening of December 2, around 5:50 p.m., the Brownwood Fire Department responded to a residential structure fire in the 2300 block of Southside Drive. The call was dispatched as flames and smoke coming from the rear of the residence. Upon arrival, firefighters entered through a sliding glass door on the rear of the structure, performed a search and knocked down the fire, which was located in the kitchen and living room.

The fire was started in the kitchen, and traveled to the living room, by way of furniture and household goods. The structure was vacant and had no utilities servicing the structure. The utilities had not been connected in more than a year. It is believed that a person or persons entered the vacant structure, rummaged through the items inside and intentionally set the structure on fire to cover up the burglary. No injuries were reported, however the structure sustained heavy damage and is uninhabitable.

Preston said any information regarding this fire would be appreciated. If you have information, contact the law enforcement center at 646-2525 or the Heart of Texas Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS. All tips will remain confidential and if your tip leads to an arrest, you may be eligible for a cash reward.