A major Austin fire broke out Thursday afternoon near 3100 Manor Road, triggering a large multi-agency emergency response. The Austin Fire Department (AFD) shared dramatic footage showing thick black smoke rising from the scene and several fire units working to contain the flames.
The fire was reported around 3:55 p.m., and crews arrived to find an abandoned auto shop engulfed in fire. AFD confirmed the blaze was brought “under control” by early evening after an extensive firefighting effort. No injuries have been reported.
Investigators have begun examining the perimeter and debris to determine what sparked the fire.
UPDATE: Austin Fire crews have the fire under control. The incident required more than 40 residents to be evacuated, and eight apartment units have been impacted. Here is footage from the scene: pic.twitter.com/Dre1b9SQY6
— Austin Fire Dept (@austinfiredept) December 11, 2025
Cause Still Unknown as Investigators Examine Burn Patterns
Fire officials remain on site, analyzing burn patterns and structural damage to pinpoint the cause of the Austin fire. At this time, no official determination has been released.
City authorities continue to emphasize fire safety and wildfire preparedness, urging residents to stay alert during high-risk periods.
Second Major Austin Fire Reported the Same Day
The Manor Road blaze marked the second major fire in Austin on Thursday. Earlier in the afternoon, AFD crews responded to a three-alarm apartment fire in the 400 block of West Anderson Lane in north Austin, according to AFD Assistant Chief Andre de la Reza.
AFD received the call just after 1 p.m., launching a significant multi-unit response.
De la Reza explained the scale of the operation, stating: “A third alarm isn’t something we do often for this—it was because we needed additional personnel. There’s a limited time we can be inside a smoky, fire-hazardous environment fighting that fire, and because of that, we had to trade people in and out.”
In total, 84 firefighters helped extinguish the earlier blaze.
Austin Officials Urge Vigilance
With two large fires occurring within hours, local officials continue to stress the importance of fire safety awareness. Both investigations remain active as crews work to secure the scenes and determine the causes.
