Sacramento County fire crews work to put out fire at abandoned Jack in the Box
NOW HAVE A LIVE INTERVIEW. YEAH, WE HAVE MARK. WE HAVE MARK NUNEZ WITH SAC SADDLE FIRE. EXCUSE ME. SACRAMENTO METRO FIRE. SO SORRY. SO MANY MOVING PARTS BECAUSE THIS IS A JOINT EFFORT. AND THIS IS A DEFENSIBLE FIRE AT THIS POINT. CORRECT? YEAH. THIS IS A DEFENSIVE FIRE FROM RIGHT OFF THE BEGINNING. THIS FIRE, IT’S NOT UNCOMMON FOR US TO BE COMING OUT HERE. THIS IS LIKE OUR THIRD TIME FOR FOR. A HOMELESS ACTIVITY. SO WE DON’T KNOW WHAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS. BUT WE’VE BEEN OUT HERE NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE. THIS IS A DEFENSIVE FIRE. WE’RE GOING TO BE HERE FOR QUITE A WHILE. IT STARTED AT 712, AND WHEN WE ARRIVED ABOUT 20 MINUTES AGO, THERE WAS STILL ACTIVE FLAMES SHOOTING FROM THE ROOF. YOU HAVE TWO LADDER TRUCKS ABOVE. I MEAN, THIS IS QUITE THE FIREFIGHT. YEAH. THIS REALLY IS THIS. THIS TAKES A LOT OF MANPOWER AND EQUIPMENT TO PUT A FIRE OUT, EVEN THOUGH IT IS JUST A RESTAURANT. THE AMOUNT OF MANPOWER AND THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT IT TAKES TO EXTINGUISH THIS FIRE, IT’S GOING TO BE A WHILE. OKAY. SO WHEN YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT IMPACT TO THOSE SURROUNDING ROADWAYS AND WHATNOT, YOU SAID YOU’RE GOING TO BE HERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I MEAN, NOTHING LOOKS LIKE IT’S MOVING OUT OF PLACE. I MEAN, WE STILL HAVE ACTIVE SMOKE AND FLAME. WE’RE THINKING HOURS AT THIS POINT. YEAH. WE’LL BE HERE FOR PROBABLY MOST OF THE DAY. WELL, AT LEAST 12:00. THE INVESTIGATION TEAM WILL HAVE TO COME IN HERE. PART OF HOWE AVENUE IS GOING TO BE SHUT DOWN. ENTERPRISE IS CURRENTLY SHUT DOWN. SO I WOULD ANTICIPATE THOSE ROAD CLOSURES FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. AND THEN IT’S NOT UNTYPICAL FOR ARSON INVESTIGATION TO TAKE OVER. YEAH. OUR INVESTIGATION TEAM IS GOING TO COME IN. THEY HAVE TO DETERMINE WHAT THE CAUSE AND ORIGIN IS, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS GOING TO BE A TOTAL LOSS, THEY STILL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO COME AND TRY TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT IS. MARK NUNEZ WITH SACRAMENTO METRO FIRE I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. AND LIKE I SAID, THIS IS APPROACHING THE HOUR MARK ON THIS FIREFIGHT. AND IT IS STILL VERY ACTIVE AT THIS POINT DEFENSIBLE, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY’RE FIGHTING IT FROM THE OUTSIDE IN, USUALLY FOR SAFETY MEASURES AND PRECAUTIONS. IT IS SHUTTING DOWN ONE LANE ON HOWE AVENUE. CHP IS TENDING TO THAT. SO IF THIS IS IN YOUR COMMUTE THIS MORNING, PLEASE BE AWARE THIS
Sacramento County fire crews work to put out fire at abandoned Jack in the Box
Updated: 8:14 AM PDT Mar 19, 2026
Crews are working to put out a fire at an abandoned Jack in the Box in Sacramento County.The building, located on Howe Avenue south of Hurley Way, caught fire Thursday morning. The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District said it is working with the Sacramento Fire Department to extinguish the fire, which started at 7:12 a.m. Flames could be seen shooting from the roof around 7:30 a.m.Closer to 8 a.m., smoke was still visible, and water was still being sprayed to put out any lingering hotspots.Capt. Mark Nunez with Sac Metro told KCRA 3’s Erin Heft that this is the third time a fire started at this abandoned fast food restaurant due to homeless activity. One lane of Howe Avenue is closed while crews battle the flames.Nunez anticipates it will take hours until crews clear the scene.Details were not released on the cause of the fire or whether there were any injuries.This is a developing story. Stay with KCRA 3 as we work to gather information.See news happening? Send us your photos or videos if it’s safe to do so at kcra.com/upload.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Crews are working to put out a fire at an abandoned Jack in the Box in Sacramento County.
The building, located on Howe Avenue south of Hurley Way, caught fire Thursday morning.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District said it is working with the Sacramento Fire Department to extinguish the fire, which started at 7:12 a.m. Flames could be seen shooting from the roof around 7:30 a.m.
Closer to 8 a.m., smoke was still visible, and water was still being sprayed to put out any lingering hotspots.
Capt. Mark Nunez with Sac Metro told KCRA 3’s Erin Heft that this is the third time a fire started at this abandoned fast food restaurant due to homeless activity. One lane of Howe Avenue is closed while crews battle the flames.
Nunez anticipates it will take hours until crews clear the scene.
Details were not released on the cause of the fire or whether there were any injuries.
This is a developing story. Stay with KCRA 3 as we work to gather information.
See news happening? Send us your photos or videos if it’s safe to do so at kcra.com/upload.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel