Fire thought to be an arson damages New Castle house

NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- City firefighters fought another suspected arson fire, the eighth in the city in just under two weeks.
Unlike all of the others, Wednesday's blaze was on the west side of town.
Fire Chief James Donston said the fire was discovered around 12:20 p.m. in a vacant two-story house at 7 Robinson St.
Ownership of the house is uncertain. Donston said it was being remodeled, though no one had apparently done any work in the house for a few months.
The fire started in the kitchen area, and firefighters were able to confine it, he said.
A state police fire marshal was called in to pinpoint the cause, he said.
East Side fires
Authorities think that an arsonist has been setting fires on the east side of town in the Croton Avenue area.
The toll so far has been two vacant houses, three occupied rental houses, a garage and a car. The vehicle and all of the properties except for one rental house were destroyed, authorities said.
The rash of fires began April 18, and the last arson occurred Sunday in a home rented by Nicole Rossi at 108 S. Crawford Place.
Charles and Debbie Miller have been victims in three of the fires. They lost the house they rented at 123 N. Walnut St. on April 18 and a second house they rented at 708 Erie St. on April 25. Debbie Miller's car was burned Saturday on Walnut Street.