STATE FIRE MARSHAL Canine sleuths sniff out arson

The Ohio State Fire Marshal's Office is the oldest of its kind in the country.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Her keen investigative skills kicked in as soon as she jumped on the charred doormat.
Sunlight glinted off her gold badge.
She worked fast, knowing from experience what the reward would be.
"Show me where," her partner said. "Show me where."
Nose down, Ashes pawed the doormat on the concrete stoop of a two-story house torched by an arsonist. Then she sat, even though her wagging tail made it a bit difficult to remain seated.
"Good girl!" Brian Peterman said, praising the small beagle and rubbing her head. "That's my good girl!"
Ashes shook her floppy ears and locked her big brown eyes on the pouch hanging from Peterson's waist. He grabbed a few nuggets of Purina Dog Chow from the pouch.
Ashes gobbled the food as if it were filet mignon, only crunchy.
Peterman is one of five investigators from the Ohio State Fire Marshal's Office assigned to the northeast part of the state, under Robert Sharp, an assistant chief.
Only beagle in department
Ashes, nearly 4 years old, is the only beagle working for the office; Labrador retrievers are typically trained to detect accelerants. Ashes can detect around 25 flammable liquids.
She goes to work when an investigator suspects arson. Peterman said the friendly beagle works for food -- two cups a day.
For safety, Peterman keeps Ashes on her leash as she sniffs at fire scenes. He explained that she could slip through a burned unstable floor or out a window if left to run on her own.
Peterson, Sharp, and Lee Bethune, another fire marshal inspector, recently brought Ashes to the scene of an arson on the South Side, where she demonstrated her skills. Youngstown Fire Department Capt. Alvin Ware said an accelerant, likely gasoline, had been poured around the foundation.
"Not many people know what we do," Sharp said as he watched Ashes practice. "We're often mistaken for inspectors. We'll stop for lunch and a restaurant manager will say 'Our smoke detector is OK.' When they see us with weapons, they're taken aback."
About the fire marshal
The Ohio State Fire Marshal's Office, founded in 1900, is the oldest such agency in the country. Sharp said investigators are police officers with arrest powers.
Fire marshals are typically called in to investigate large commercial fires -- such as B.J. Alan Fireworks in Beaver Township and UPS in Girard, both last year. They also respond to smaller fires in communities that have a volunteer fire department or when asked by a city fire department that may need assistance.
"We respond to any type of fire; it doesn't have to be arson," Sharp said. "If it's arson, we go to court and testify."
He said there's no charge to any of the communities served in Ohio's 88 counties. The fire marshals office is funded through assessment on fire insurance premiums sold in Ohio.
Investigators, depending on the circumstances, may seek assistance at fire scenes from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.
Recent area cases
In January, fire marshals were called to a house fire in Fowler Township where a woman and three children died. Also that month, they were called to the Bull's Eye Restaurant in Coitsville, which burned to the ground.
Last year, the northeast district had 42 fire deaths, Sharp said.
"We look at every scene as a crime scene until we rule it out," Sharp said. "Me and my guys are also in FIT, the Fireworks Investigation Team. We respond to illegal fireworks shows or mass casualties."
Sharp's cell phone rang during his interview with The Vindicator. The caller told him investigators were needed at a fatal fire in North Royalton.
meade@vindy.com