Vacant apartment building goes up in flames in south-central El Paso

A vacant apartment building went up in flames Friday afternoon in south-central El Paso.

Fire crews responded to the blaze at North St. Vrain and Magoffin streets about 3:45 p.m. and labeled it a ‘condition 3’ fire — meaning heavy smoke and flames were showing.

Fire department spokesman Enrique Aguilar indicated the fire originated in an unoccupied apartment in the vacant building; it was contained within about a half-hour.

No cause had been determined and fire crews had not yet calculated a damage estimate.

Fire officials were questioning two people, possibly squatters, who were discovered in the alley behind the building.