ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, A LARGE FIRE BROKE out in two abandoned, vacant buildings between King and 5th streets in Downtown Troy. The fire began around 11:30 pm, and quickly surged to flames 20 to 30 feet in the air. Troy Fire Department responded to the scene and was able to contain the fire within the hour. However, it took well into Monday morning to fully extinguish the blaze. The situation was dangerous and had to be dealt with carefully, since the buildings had been previously condemned, and, therefore, were not structurally safe. Due to this, the firefighters could only attack the fire from outside. The buildings’ remains were promptly torn down on Monday. After an investigation, Troy officials believe the fire may have been started and fueled using an accelerant, as the flames were stronger and hotter than a normal structure fire. Local residents say they hope the city converts the lots into a public park.