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The owner of a building in the Tower Oaks Commercial Park is facing a civil lawsuit initiated by the Harris County attorney following an extensive investigation conducted by the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office.
The 17-page civil lawsuit outlines 11 fire code violations for the property located at 10619 and 10623 Tower Oaks Boulevard in northwest Harris County. According to the documents, investigators also discovered a significant quantity of race fuel on the premises.
On Christmas Eve, firefighters responded to a fire emergency at the property, where investigators found burnt and melted spliced extension cords, large amounts of combustible material, electrical system maintenance issues, lack of fire protection systems, as well as multiple dog kennels housing 17 dogs and three cats.
Attempts to inspect the building in May 2023 were denied by the tenant, as stated in the lawsuit.
attempted to speak with residents of the property, but they were not available. Following the initial fire incident, power to the building was disconnected due to extreme fire hazards, although it appeared to be restored upon subsequent visits.
During a recent fire and life safety inspection conducted by the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office, conditions were found to have deteriorated further.
While some neighboring businesses suspect that homeless individuals may be residing in the building, the county alleges that the property owner and tenants are unlikely to address the violations and may continue to violate fire codes.
Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee expressed hope for a prompt resolution and stated that his office collaborated with the Harris County Fire Marshal to identify and address the violations.
Efforts to reach the property owner for comment were unsuccessful. The county has filed a temporary restraining order and temporary injunction to prevent unlawful use of the property, which is also alleged to lack permits for residential use.