AKRON, Ohio — Akron firefighters spent hours battling a heavy commercial blaze in the city’s Middlebury neighborhood on Saturday, where a vacant building at 1068 Bank Street filled with smoke and fire. Crews arrived to find flames already pushing through the front of the structure and spreading throughout the interior, according to the fire department.
The building was unoccupied when the fire broke out, and no civilians were hurt. One firefighter was treated and released for minor injuries sustained during the operation, the department said. Ohio Edison was called to the scene to shut off and secure utilities while crews worked, and nearby roads stayed open to through traffic as firefighters remained on scene.
The Fire Investigation Unit is now looking into what started the blaze. Officials asked drivers to use caution in the area of Bank Street while crews finished clearing the scene.