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City fires subside in wake of spree
YOUNGSTOWN
A day after Youngstown firefighters scrambled to 13 structure fires in a 20-hour period, all was back to relative quiet for the department with no fires reported through the end of Friday.
Vacant-home fires, which most of the 13 were, make up about 70 percent of the 400 fires the department handles in a year, said Fire Chief John O’Neill.
Thursday’s outbreak cost the city about $3,000 in overtime costs, he said.
Officials are alleging at least two of the fires were set by Spencer Morris Washington, 36, of Falls Avenue. He is being held in the Mahoning County jail and will be arraigned at 10 a.m. Monday before Judge Robert Milich of Youngs-town Municipal Court.
Washington is a person of interest for some of the other fires as officials continue to investigate all of the scenes. But O’Neill did not speculate that there were other serial-arson suspects.
Washington was arrested Thursday morning, accused of setting fire to vacant homes at 343 Falls Ave. and 362 Breaden Ave., both owned at one time by his grandfather. His father, Spencer Morris, said Washington set the fires because he was angry.
In 2001, Washington was charged with arson. According to court filings, he later pleaded guilty to attempted arson and was sentenced to 180 days in the Mahoning County jail. His record also includes arrests on charges of robbery, illegal possession of a weapon, carrying concealed weapons and possession of drugs.
One firefighter suffered a foot injury battling one of the early morning fires. No one else was injured.
Instead of firefighting Friday, the department swore in five firefighters and promoted four current firefighters in a ceremony at the main fire station downtown. Mayor Charles P. Sammarone presided.
O’Neill said the new hires, which are replacements for firefighters who have retired, were planned long before the rash of arsons. The additions, however, do bring the department back to its optimal operating strength of 138.
O’Neill said keeping the department at full strength makes it less difficult to handle situations such as the one posed this week with simultaneous fires and a heavy call volume.
“It’s all about resources and having enough people and stuff to do the job,” said O’Neill.