Officials investigate four suspicious fires in Campbell

CAMPBELL— City firefighters are investigating four suspicious fires in the past week that appear to be related.

Acting Fire Chief Gene Skelley said the four fires were all in vacant homes and it appears they were set to make it easier to steal copper pipes inside the walls. The houses sustained substantial damage, he said.

“All hell’s breaking loose,” Skelley said.

The latest fire was set about 3:30 a.m. Sunday at 54 Van Buren St. with damage estimated at $30,000.

A fire reported at 3:07 a.m. Saturday caused about $8,000 in damage at 108 Tremble Ave.

A couple moved out of a house at 162 Lettie Ave. last Monday, and a fire causing $60,000 worth of damage was purposely set two days later, reported at 2:37 a.m., Skelley said.

A fire last Monday at 11 p.m. at 338 Devitt Ave. caused $15,000 worth of damage, he said.

The financially strapped city has only one firefighter per shift, and Campbell called the Coitsville Fire Department for assistance on the four suspicious fires, Skelley said.

No arrests were made as of late Sunday in the four fires.