ST. LOUIS — It was a terrifying Thursday morning for Ben Buntaine.
"I just ran yelling 'fire' and getting everybody out," Buntaine said during an interview Thursday afternoon.
Investigators said that around 8:30 a.m., flames engulfed a vacant, two-story brick hour in the 7000 block of Virginia Avenue in the Patch Neighborhood in south St. Louis.
It's connected to the home where Buntaine lives with his brother and their two dogs.
"My air conditioner outlet sparked and I saw smoke," Buntaine recalled.
He immediately woke up his sleeping brother as flames jumped to their home.
They grabbed their dogs and got out just in time.
"it was extremely scary. I could have died. My brother could have died and our dogs could have died. The side of our home, that's near my bedroom, is now charred," recalled a frustrated Buntaine.
He said a year ago, people started hanging out and living inside the vacant house.
"It should have been rectified a long time ago. It's a major problem. The homeless issues. Drug use and abandon buildings," said Buntaine.
Neighbors say before the fire broke out, they saw several homeless men and a woman inside the building.
A St. Louis fire captain said that right now, they can't confirm that.
Neighbors also say that in June, people set the same vacant house on fire.
"It's very scary knowing this can happen and it's this close," said another concerned neighbor.
First Ward Alderwoman Anne Schweitzer said she was "horrified" to hear about the latest fire, adding she recently asked the city to board up the vacant house.
They did.
However, neighbors say someone broke inside again.
The city is now sending code violation notices to the owner.
Schweitzer says she's now asked for an emergency demolition of the fire-ravaged building.
That's some relief for Ben Buntaine.
"I like the action. That's a good start. I need to feel safe in my neighborhood," he said.
Late Thursday night, Ervin Perryman, the owner of the property on Virginia, returned a phone call from 5 On Your Side. He said he was unaware of the problems occurring at the property and that he has invested $30,000 in structural repairs and intends to keep the property.
He also said he would reach out Friday to the city to try and learn more about the "emergency demolition order" Schweitzer has requested.