Central Fresno Businesses Fear Becoming Next After Two Fires in 12 Days

Two massive fires within 12 days have left business owners around Blackstone and McKinley avenues on edge as city crews move to tear down vacant structures and police increase patrols. Investigators call the two fires in 12 days "suspicious," and say "unhoused people may be tied to at least one of them," creating urgency for owners who fear their property could be next.

The blazes destroyed the former Carl’s Jr. "last month" and burned the Star Stucco Products building "on Sunday," according to on‑scene reporting. City crews "moved in on Tuesday to tear down the former Taco Bell" to prevent another fire from spreading. City Hall had already taken control of the Terzian family's lot and at least 16 others ahead of a major project to rework nearby railroad crossings.

Art Terzian and his son Tony operate A&T Ceramic Tile on a city-controlled lot near the fires. Art said bluntly, "I'm thinking I'm going to be next." Tony stressed what is at stake for the family and the neighborhood: "This is our inventory, our livelihood," and "We spent a lifetime building this up." The Terzians say 2,900 pallets of tile remain inside their lot after the city assumed control, and Tony warned, "The city has to do a better job of securing the property," adding that "The fence is cut in the back."

City Manager Georgeanne White described stepped-up enforcement, saying, "We do have PD that is patrolling the area, but there are a lot of buildings and a lot of opportunities for people to get into buildings." Action News reporters saw an unauthorized woman on the city-controlled lot; she "claimed her family owned the property, and said she was there to check on it." When approached she said, "I just came to make sure that nobody was here anymore." The Terzians told her, "You're not allowed on the property." She eventually walked away after police spoke with her.

Investigations remain active but incomplete. The reporting includes no confirmed causes, no named arson investigators, and no arrests or charges tied to either fire. Legal friction compounds the uncertainty: the Terzians are battling with the city in court over control of the property, while the city cites a public works need to rework railroad crossings as the reason for taking possession of multiple parcels.

For Fresno residents and small-business owners, the twin fires underscore the intersection of vacant-property management, public-safety resources, and ongoing infrastructure projects. In the short term, demolition and police patrols aim to reduce immediate risk; longer term, the situation raises questions about inventory protection, liability, and how the city will secure dozens of buildings as railroad work proceeds.