Firefighters Respond to Another Valley View Mall Fire
Dallas Fire-Rescue responded to a fire at the remaining portion of the old Valley View Mall late April 7, the third fire there in as many months.
Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Jason Evans an officer in the area noticed fire coming from the building shortly after 11 p.m. April 7.
“While suppression efforts were immediately initiated, they were defensive from the onset and included the dispatching of additional engine companies, and the use of ground and aerial water streams, to access the interior flames as well as multiple spot fires on the roof,” Evans said.
The fire was declared extinguished shortly before 2 a.m. April 8 and no injuries were reported, he said.
Evans said police detained “multiple” juveniles seen leaving the site, but interviews determined they arrived after the fire began.
The cause of the fire is undetermined.
Demolition of the remaining piece of the old Valley View Mall began March 16 after two firefighters were injured in a fire that morning.
One firefighter was discharged the afternoon of March 16, and the second was discharged the afternoon of March 17, Evans said at the time.
Months before a Feb. 11 fire, Dallas Assistant City Attorney Charlotta Riley sent a demand letter in Novmber 2022 to property owner Beck Ventures outlining 10 code violations, including objects or conditions on the premises that are “reasonably capable of causing injury to a person” after a pair of YouTubers in a November video showed how easy it is to get inside. They filmed themselves entering through an exposed loading bay and walking through the food court, where glass shards covered the floor and spray paint many surfaces. The demand letter gave Beck Ventures until June 1 to complete demolition.
Also, in February 2023, the Dallas Police Department notified the property owner that the Valley View Mall property would be designated a habitual criminal property.
Beck Ventures has yet to return requests for comment, but, before the February fire, city workers found progress during a site visit on Dec. 7, 2022, with asbestos abatement beginning the week of Dec. 12.
The Valley View site is included in the 450-acre Dallas International District, which encompasses the area north of Interstate 635, between Preston Road, the Dallas North Tollway encompassing the partially demolished former Valley View Mall, and Galleria Dallas.
City officials’ plans for the Dallas International District, include a Dallas ISD K-12 STEAM school, a complete street overhaul for Montfort Drive, and a large park.
We’ll update this post as additional information becomes available.
