Fire in Five Points South spreads to surrounding homes Friday morning

Birmingham firefighters are battling a large fire that broke out early Friday (October 31) morning in the Five Points South area. The blaze started shortly before 6 a.m. in the 1300 block of 20th Street South, near Cobb Lane. According to initial 911 reports, at least one person was seen running from the vacant building before the fire erupted.

Fire officials have not confirmed if anyone was inside the building at the time, possibly seeking warmth. The building was vacant, and the fire quickly spread to nearby homes, prompting a swift response from the Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service (BFRS).

Firefighters arrived to find the structure well-involved in flames. They worked diligently to contain the fire, but a roof collapse complicated their efforts. Despite these challenges, Lt. Catina Williams assured the public that there is no danger to the surrounding community.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and officials are working to determine if it is linked to previous incidents in the area. Streets surrounding the fire have been blocked off as crews continue their work.

The Birmingham City council released this information at 11am on Friday morning

"Like many others, we saw the massive plume of smoke early this morning coming from Southside. First, we’d like to thank the Birmingham Fire Department for their quick action and efforts to prevent the spread of this fire that engulfed several structures on historic Cobb Lane, some of which are still actively burning. 

As of this moment, we do not believe anyone was injured in this fire and that is a blessing and a testament to our first responders.

Our city’s emergency services exemplify the best of public service, and we owe them a great debt of thanks. Our offices will continue to work closely with city officials and the affected residents to assess the damage, support recovery efforts and explore every possible avenue to restore one of our iconic cobblestone streets."