| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
 Posted - 04/11/2010 : 5:13:17 PM
|
Man questioned in connection with eight arsons overnight in Everett
By Katheleen Conti, Globe Staff
A man was being questioned today by police in connection with eight fires set outside homes in Everett within a half-mile area late Saturday night into this morning, according to the state fire marshal and city officials.
The first fires were set around 11 p.m. Saturday, and all but one were sparked from inside trash recycling bins stored in close proximity to residences, said State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan. One of the fires was started inside a dumpster, Coan said.
No injuries were reported, according to authorities.
A man seen walking around the area was being questioned by investigators, said Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria Jr.
"This is serious. This is eight fires that could've been eight tragic fires," DeMaria said. "This is arson, not just petty fires. This could've been a lot worse. We had a fire a couple of weeks ago where someone tossed a cigarette in a house and caused the death of two people."
The first fire call came in at 10:53 p.m. Saturday, when a resident of 105 Cottage St. called 911 to report smoke behind her house, DeMaria said. Another call came in at 11:16 p.m. from a resident reporting a trash fire at 42 Villa Ave. DeMaria said both those fires were extinguished quickly.
The next call came around 11:50 p.m. reporting a trash or dumpster fire at 53 Foster St. That was the most serious fire, causing damage to the exterior of the residence Coan said. By this point, local and state police were alerted, DeMaria said.
At 12:16 a.m. yesterday, another call came in for a trash fire at 29 Pleasant View Ave. followed by another fire at 7 Lexington St. at 12:36 a.m., DeMaria said. At that point firefighters noticed residents putting out trash fires at 10 Lexington St. and 17 Lexington St., DeMaria said. At around 1 a.m., firefighters noticed and assisted a resident putting out a trash fire at 609 Broadway, DeMaria said.
Coan said he could not comment on how the fires were started or on the man, or give estimates of damage sustained.
State Fire Marshal investigators are seeking the public's assistance for any information that could help bring forward the person or persons responsible for the fires. Anyone with information is urged to call the arson hotline at 1-800-682-9229. A monetary reward is being offered for any information that leads to an arrest and conviction, Coan said.
You must be logged in to see this link.
|
|
|
massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 04/15/2010 : 10:42:34 PM
|
Investigators Continue Search for Arson Suspect
Fire Chief Praises Department for Response
By Keith Spencer
Many residents awoke to fires ablaze in refuse bins outside their homes late Saturday night into early Sunday morning. Investigators believe arson is to blame, questioning a person earlier this week, but failing to file any charges or make an arrest.
"There is still an ongoing investigation on the potential arson that took place this past weekend," said Capt. Richard Basteri of the Everett Police on Tuesday.
"You may have heard news reports regarding the arrest of a suspect which is not true at this time. Our detectives will be following up all possible leads, but we currently do not have anyone in custody at this time."
The Everett Fire Department responded to the calls, all located within a half-mile area. While no injuries were sustained, a number of properties were damaged.
“I won’t say that I was shocked, but it certainly was something very unexpected,” Everett Fire Department Chief David Butler said in an interview Tuesday.
“We’ve had rashes of false alarms that caused a ton of calls in the past, but not as many actual fires in such a short period of time.”
At 10:53 p.m. on Saturday, a resident at 105 Cottage Street called 911 to report a fire behind her house. Another call was received just a half hour later to report a trash fire at 42 Villa Avenue. The next call was received at 11:50 p.m. to report a trash fire at 53 Foster Street, the most serious blaze of the evening.
Additional calls were made over the next hour to report five other fires, located at 23 Pleasant View Avenue, 7 Lexington Street, 10 Lexington Street, 17 Lexington Street, and 609 Broadway.
Many of the fires began in either trash barrels, recycling totes, and a dumpster in one instance. In each instance, the containers were stored close to sheds, homes, or other structures on the properties.
Butler commended the entire department for their efforts to keep the Foster Street fire contained, and extended his thanks to the departments who responded from surrounding communities for their support.
“The fire on Foster Street did tie up all our companies, but we had personnel come back,” Butler noted. “We certainly relied on our mutual aid company, which worked well and allowed us to respond to all the incidents in a quick and timely manner.”
This particular fire caused an estimated $40-60,000 in damages, according to insurance adjusters. Other estimates were not available at press time.
While some residents were concerned fires could continue on subsequent evenings, investigators have remained vigilant, following up on a number of leads.
“We are in the middle of a very active investigation, and we’re pretty confident this was an isolated incident,” Butler added.
Both Chief Butler and Captain Basteri could not provide any further developments as the investigation continues. Reports surfaced on Monday that the Everett Police had questioned a person in connection to the incidents, however, no charges have been filed or arrests made.
The rash of arsons received a lot of media attention, and follows another high profile blaze that claimed the lives of two longtime, Everett residents. The March 10th fire at 8 Blake Terrace started when a passerby discarded their cigarette by tossing it onto the front porch of 80-year-old Edna Power and her brother, 76-year-old Edward. Both perished.
|
 |
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
Fires
