Bartholomew Park pool fire near Mueller knocked down; 51st Street blocked as crews check hot spots

What happened

Austin firefighters responded to a building fire at the Bartholomew Park swimming pool at 1800 E. 51st St., just east of Mueller. The fire reached an awning on the pool building before crews knocked it down. Firefighters then began “extensive” overhaul to find hot spots, according to CBS Austin.

E. 51st Street was blocked by Austin Fire Department equipment, and drivers were asked to avoid the area, CBS Austin reported.

What officials say

The incident comes as Austin weighs how to meet response goals across the city, including in neighborhoods around Mueller. Data reviewed by the Austin Monitor shows the department’s target is an eight-minute response window. Roughly 69% of calls met that mark in recent reporting, down from about 83% in 2016. The Monitor points to growth, traffic, and more mid- and high-rise buildings as factors that affect how fast units can reach scenes.

Debate over staffing has also shaped the fire department’s approach. City leaders floated reducing minimum staffing on some engines from four firefighters to three, a move that drew pushback from labor groups. “The staffing model is the best solution we have at the table right now to make sure that every fire station and every unit is still staffed with trained firefighters and personnel to respond to these emergency fire and medical calls,” said Joel Baker, Austin Fire Chief. KUT

Code and inspections

Municipal facilities such as pools operate under city fire rules. Austin adopted the 2021 International Fire Code with local amendments effective Sept. 1, 2021, which sets standards for building fire safety, system design, and operations. The Fire Marshal’s Office conducts inspections and plan reviews to enforce those rules and verify protection systems before occupancy, according to the City of Austin.

These code requirements govern detection and suppression systems, access for responders, and safe use of public spaces. They also guide plan review for upgrades or repairs at city facilities, including parks infrastructure and support buildings that serve daily visitors and seasonal programs.

Context for Mueller

Bartholomew Park is a steady draw for families from Mueller and adjacent neighborhoods. When a fire closes a stretch of E. 51st Street, it disrupts a key east-west route between Mueller’s town center, Pecan Springs, Windsor Park, and 183. It also underscores a broader question for the area: how fast help arrives and how code enforcement reduces risk at public sites.

Response performance and staffing levels influence how quickly a crew can contain a structure fire at facilities like the Bartholomew pool building. The eight-minute benchmark cited by the Austin Monitor is more than a statistic for residents who use parks and travel the 51st Street corridor. It shapes outcomes when a small fire reaches an awning, when smoke affects a public area, or when nearby traffic needs to be cleared.

Other recent fires

Austin has seen a range of structure fires in the past two years. Downtown, the fire at the historic Buford Tower was ruled incendiary and drew a federal investigation. “It was too fast, it was too hot, too fast,” said David, a nearby resident who lives in a homeless encampment. FOX 7 Austin

Elsewhere in East Austin, a December fire near Manor Road destroyed a building, though no injuries were reported, according to Yahoo News. In 2024, a blaze at a boarded-up structure off South I-35 led to a hotel evacuation and injured a firefighter, as reported by KSAT.

These incidents highlight two fronts for prevention: code compliance and response capacity. The city’s adoption of the 2021 code framework, along with Fire Marshal inspections and plan review, sets standards for buildings across Austin. Meeting response-time goals and ensuring engine staffing can determine how much damage a fire does before crews gain control.

For Mueller and surrounding neighborhoods, Wednesday’s pool fire is a reminder that even a short burn can force a street closure and pull multiple units into a small footprint. When crews arrive within the target window and systems work as designed, a fire that reaches an awning can be contained and overhauled without wider harm.

Read the full story on cbsaustin.com

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