BATON ROUGE - Fire at Brandywine Apartments was set intentionally, according to Baton Rouge Fire Department investigators.

Firefighters responded to the scene at Darryl Drive around 4 a.m. but the second floor of the abandoned apartment was already engulfed in flames. They attempted to enter the building, but were forced to retreat when the roof of the apartment building collapsed, BRFD said.

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call BRFD at 225-354-1419.

The Brandywine Apartments have been a topic of debate for several years. The 2017, the East Baton Rouge Metro City Council voted to condemn the building. Members of the city council said the complex had become a recurring setting for violent crimes. 

This is the second fire at Brandywine that investigators determined to be intentionally set. In Feb. 2017, a fire at the complex clubhouse caused $25,000 in damages and completely destroyed the clubhouse building.